https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/smart-news/RSS feed for Smart NewsenWed, 27 May 2026 20:51:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/"The People’s Tree" will also incorporate the tree's wood and archive recordings from the public in a series of community artworksWed, 27 May 2026 20:51:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-honor-a-fallen-tree-in-england-a-sound-sculpture-will-broadcast-the-voice-of-a-beloved-sycamore-felled-near-hadrians-wall-180988832/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/The first three missions are targeted to launch this year. They’ll involve lunar landers developed by several aerospace companies, including Blue Origin, and deliver scientific instruments and a roverWed, 27 May 2026 20:47:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-unveils-new-details-about-the-future-moon-base-and-the-missions-laying-the-groundwork-to-build-it-180988837/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/The manuscript was made by a skilled, anonymous artist between 1290 and 1310. It's the oldest of only three privately owned Vulgate Cycle manuscriptsWed, 27 May 2026 19:29:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-medieval-manuscript-telling-tales-of-king-arthur-in-ink-and-polished-gold-thats-headed-to-auction-180988835/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/New York City played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This museum brings the city's 18th-century history to life through artifacts, immersive environments and interactive experiencesWed, 27 May 2026 19:00:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/Tickets for the Lincoln Memorial undercroft museum are now available to reserve. When the attraction opens on June 25, visitors will get to see the D.C. landmark from a whole new perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 17:21:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-illuminating-new-museum-hidden-beneath-the-lincoln-memorial-is-set-to-open-to-the-public-heres-what-you-can-expect-180988831/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/Although the researchers did not create an entire cell that could function without a crucial building block, the findings represent a big step in synthetic biology and provide a glimpse at how Earth’s earliest organisms may have livedWed, 27 May 2026 15:46:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-used-ai-to-redesign-a-microbes-machinery-to-function-without-a-key-ingredient-of-life-180988802/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/A new study suggests that harvestmen actively attack the slippery amphibians, rather than just scavenging them. The findings hint that the spineless creatures have a more complex relationship with vertebrates than previously thoughtWed, 27 May 2026 13:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/daddy-longlegs-seem-to-hunt-frogs-in-south-america-revealing-the-gangly-arachnids-as-long-overlooked-predators-180988810/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/Scientists at Aalto University in Finland saved pieces of the Hahtiperä wreck and turned them into textile fibersTue, 26 May 2026 21:20:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-shipwreck-but-make-it-fashion-researchers-transformed-wooden-fragments-from-a-17th-century-shipwreck-into-a-pair-of-stylish-maxi-dresses-180988825/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/Mucus, feces, skin and other shed tissue allowed researchers to investigate which creatures have been swimming in two deep-sea canyons without having to observe or catch themTue, 26 May 2026 20:31:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-detect-an-elusive-giant-squid-and-many-other-surprising-marine-animals-off-western-australia-thanks-to-dna-in-the-water-180988812/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/The reconstruction of a prehistoric building, likely originally a place for winter feasts at the nearby Durrington Walls site, will serve as a learning space for studentsTue, 26 May 2026 20:29:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-4500-year-old-neolithic-hall-replica-rises-at-stonehenge-as-archaeologists-and-volunteers-build-with-prehistoric-tools-and-techniques-180988806/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/Natural disasters like the one at Tracy Arm fjord, about 45 miles south of Juneau, could become more common as climate change alters frigid landscapes, according to researchersTue, 26 May 2026 18:23:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-landslide-triggered-alaskas-2025-mega-tsunami-now-scientists-have-identified-warning-signs-to-predict-similar-events-180988797/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/Officially titled 'Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1,' James McNeill Whistler’s stoic portrait of his mother has come to define the artist’s style and legacy. The artwork is currently on display in the same city where it was painted more than 150 years agoTue, 26 May 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whistler-didnt-mean-to-make-his-mourning-mother-an-art-world-star-today-she-is-a-highlight-at-a-major-exhibition-in-london-180988808/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/Researchers examined GPS tracking data from thousands of animals representing 37 species and anonymized cellphone location data from 2020, a year of Covid-19 lockdowns, and the previous yearTue, 26 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-mere-presence-of-humans-not-just-our-changes-to-the-land-can-alter-wild-animals-behaviors-a-new-study-suggests-180988793/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/Using a remotely operated vehicle, researchers are exploring a long-overlooked piece of Seattle’s maritime historyFri, 22 May 2026 21:25:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-underwater-robot-explores-the-hidden-shipwreck-city-beneath-the-surface-of-this-popular-urban-lake-in-the-pacific-northwest-180988799/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/Scientists figured out that the predators were lumped in with a previously named mosasaur species. The new one, called Tylosaurus rex, could grow to 43 feet long, about the length of a school busFri, 22 May 2026 21:00:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/paleontologists-discover-an-ancient-marine-reptile-theyve-dubbed-the-t-rex-of-the-sea-crowning-another-king-of-the-cretaceous-180988792/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/From a Revolutionary War battlefield to a civil rights-era safe haven, these historic sites are at risk, according to the latest list from the National Trust for Historic PreservationFri, 22 May 2026 20:20:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-mark-americas-250th-birthday-see-the-countrys-most-endangered-places-that-youve-probably-never-heard-of-180988789/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/The Psyche mission, on its way to study an asteroid of the same name, approached within 2,864 miles of the red planet on May 15Fri, 22 May 2026 20:14:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-nasas-stunning-new-images-of-mars-captured-during-an-asteroid-bound-spacecrafts-strategic-flyby-180988788/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/The Abstract Expressionist is best known for his action paintings, which emphasized the movements of the artist's body during the creative process. "Number 7A, 1948" is now his most expensive work ever auctionedFri, 22 May 2026 19:51:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-jackson-pollock-hope-to-accomplish-with-this-dizzying-drip-painting-which-just-sold-for-a-record-breaking-181-million-180988794/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/Researchers measured vibrations inside and around the pyramid to learn that the structure is surprisingly resilient against seismic tremorsFri, 22 May 2026 18:25:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ancient-egyptian-engineering-choices-helped-the-great-pyramid-of-giza-survive-earthquakes-new-research-finds-180988790/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/The drug showed promising results in an international study involving nearly 2,400 participants, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make an approval decision for it in JuneFri, 22 May 2026 17:53:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-pill-can-prevent-you-from-getting-covid-19-after-exposure-to-thedisease-causing-virus-according-to-a-clinical-trial-180988784/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/The researchers hope that this new understanding of cognition in the toothed whales will increase human empathy and concern for the animals, leading to more efforts to protect themFri, 22 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/belugas-can-recognize-themselves-in-mirrors-joining-a-short-list-of-non-human-species-that-show-signs-of-self-awareness-180988783/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/Remains buried on Svalbard show the brutal toll whaling took on men in the 17th and 18th centuries. Climate change threatens these kinds of archaeological sites across the ArcticThu, 21 May 2026 21:36:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whalers-didnt-just-sing-sea-shanties-and-seek-adventure-proof-of-laborers-grueling-work-is-in-their-skeletons-buried-in-the-arctic-180988787/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/A study suggests that the ice giant's largest moon, Triton, made a dramatic entrance to the Neptunian system long ago, kicking Nereid outward and destroying the planet's other original lunar companionsThu, 21 May 2026 20:16:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neptunes-moon-nereid-might-be-the-sole-intact-survivor-of-an-ancient-lunar-collision-180988785/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/French street artist JR chose the Pont Neuf bridge as the canvas for his latest larger-than-life art installation, created with audio accompaniment by a Daft Punk musicianThu, 21 May 2026 19:04:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-oldest-bridge-in-paris-was-swallowed-overnight-by-a-giant-inflatable-cave-in-latest-artwork-by-the-french-banksy-180988781/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/Items from the first and most recent seasons of the hit program will be added to the permanent collection of the National Museum of American HistoryThu, 21 May 2026 17:38:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/Brain size and bipedalism are the most likely drivers of our species’ right-hand dominance, according to new researchThu, 21 May 2026 16:28:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-nearly-every-person-right-handed-but-not-every-ape-and-monkey-new-research-explores-the-evolutionary-origins-of-human-handedness-180988776/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/A new permanent display at the Musée d’Orsay showcases artworks that may have been stolen or sold under suspicious circumstances during World War II. Officials are still hoping to find the families of their rightful ownersThu, 21 May 2026 15:02:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/who-are-the-owners-of-these-nazi-looted-masterpiecesand-could-displaying-them-at-one-of-frances-most-popular-museums-help-track-them-down-180988779/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/Experts compared DNA from 49 skeletons buried in a cemetery in St. Mary's City to genetic data shared by 11.5 million 23andMe users. They also identified what may be the remains of the colony's second governorThu, 21 May 2026 14:49:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/Researchers caught the rare pinnipeds resting and sleeping in a secluded chamber on the Greek islet of Formicula. The findings suggest that these small caves should be included in efforts to protect the animals' habitatThu, 21 May 2026 14:40:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mediterranean-monk-seals-hide-in-underwater-bubble-caves-to-avoid-tourists-during-the-busy-summer-season-a-study-suggests-180988775/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/Many of the country's metal mines are embedded in an ancient rock formation that probably also houses a lot of the resource, referred to as "white hydrogen"Thu, 21 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-canadian-mine-might-release-enough-natural-hydrogen-each-year-to-power-400-homes-hinting-at-an-untapped-source-of-clean-energy-180988773/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/Scientists found bones of 37 people inside a giant stone jar at one of Southeast Asia’s most puzzling archaeological sites. The find suggests a multigenerational burial practiceWed, 20 May 2026 21:08:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-discovered-trove-of-bones-and-teeth-yields-new-clues-to-the-century-old-mystery-of-death-jars-in-laos-180988772/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/The writing in the booklet suggests it belonged to an upper-class merchant, who may have had a mishap while using the toilet 800 years agoWed, 20 May 2026 19:11:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-a-medieval-latrine-in-germany-archaeologists-extracted-a-pristine-leather-notebook-that-preserved-latin-cursive-for-centuries-180988771/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/A new study indicates that the adaptable birds evolved into distinct lineages as isolated populations shifted to match their environmental conditions over time. The work has implications for how conservationists assess threats to gentoosWed, 20 May 2026 19:09:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gentoo-penguins-may-actually-be-four-different-species-scientists-say-revealing-theyre-not-quite-winners-of-climate-change-after-all-180988769/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/The findings suggest that their famous lateral movement evolved just once. It may have helped the animals rapidly spread and diversify because moving in two directions meant they could easily escape predatorsWed, 20 May 2026 15:57:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-crabs-evolve-their-iconic-sideways-scuttle-scientist-traced-it-to-a-200-million-year-old-common-ancestor-180988765/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/Participants who were overweight or living with obesity wore the accessories for two hours every morning for six weeks and lost an average of two pounds. The researchers suspect showering or swimming in frigid water could have similar effectsWed, 20 May 2026 13:11:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/regularly-wearing-a-cooling-vest-might-help-you-lose-body-fat-according-to-a-new-study-180988767/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/New research shows that the ancestors of the Barkindji people in Australia ritually added river mussel shells to a burial site for centuries after the dingo died, suggesting they cared for it deeplyTue, 19 May 2026 21:06:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/After spending centuries in France, the 1,000-year-old tapestry depicting the Norman Conquest of England is traveling to its home countryTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-bayeux-tapestry-takes-a-journey-for-a-fresh-perspective-as-the-british-museum-prepares-to-lay-the-masterpiece-out-flat-180988764/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/Colossal Biosciences announced that 26 live baby chickens have emerged from 3D-printed honeycomb structures. But the company does not plan to detail the system in a paper, and its mission has faced criticismTue, 19 May 2026 20:09:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/de-extinction-company-says-it-hatched-chicks-from-artificial-eggs-paving-the-way-for-resurrecting-dodos-and-other-bygone-birds-180988766/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/The funerary marker, which surfaced on a New Orleans property last year, once belonged to a Roman soldier who died nearly 2,000 years ago. Officials repatriated the stone in a recent ceremony in RomeTue, 19 May 2026 18:30:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/Visitors will be able to view Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece without touring the rest of the Louvre, and visitor traffic at the museum will be able to grow by three million people annuallyTue, 19 May 2026 18:27:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mona-lisa-is-moving-to-a-new-home-the-louvre-just-announced-the-architects-who-will-design-her-private-suite-180988763/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/The gorgeous astrophotographs highlight the dazzling night sky and remind viewers what we risk losing to light pollutionTue, 19 May 2026 16:03:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-ten-breathtaking-images-from-the-2026-milky-way-photographer-of-the-year-contest-capture-the-beauty-of-our-galaxy-180988755/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/The strange creatures are washing up on shores across California, Oregon and Washington this spring—and making the coast smell especially fishyTue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/millions-of-bright-blue-blobs-called-by-the-wind-sailors-are-littering-beaches-along-the-west-coast-180988759/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/In a new study, 3-year-olds who were repeatedly exposed to the taste of bitter kale as fetuses appeared to be less averse to the leafy greens' scent than they were to a food smell they hadn't experienced in uteroTue, 19 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/want-to-avoid-having-a-picky-eater-start-exposing-your-kids-to-veggies-super-early-in-the-womb-180988750/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/A new exhibition in Colchester, England, site of the first capital of Roman Britain, explores the "Lexden Lady" and her collection of treasuresTue, 19 May 2026 13:41:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-woman-buried-in-an-elaborate-roman-coffin-with-precious-grave-goods-was-clearly-cherished-by-her-family-and-her-community-archaeologists-say-180988760/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/Goya's frescoes are given new life in a church in Spain that also serves as the final resting place for most of the artist's body. The mystery of his missing skull has inspired poems and artworksMon, 18 May 2026 20:10:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-frescoes-in-this-madrid-church-received-a-facelift-but-goya-the-spanish-artist-buried-beneath-them-is-still-missing-his-head-180988756/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/The international health agency notes that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that the risk to the American public is lowMon, 18 May 2026 19:16:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-ebola-outbreak-in-africa-was-declared-a-global-health-emergency-by-the-who-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-but-severe-illness-180988758/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/A new documentary about photographer Richard Avedon, directed by Ron Howard and debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, uses archival footage and contemporary interviews to weave the story of just how far his influence extendsMon, 18 May 2026 18:46:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/The new study found that they lost their arboreal habitat due to a drying climate, a dire warning for the modern-day marsupials that face a similar threatMon, 18 May 2026 18:17:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dimpled-koala-fossil-found-western-australia-revealed-why-previously-unknown-species-died-out-180988719/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/Used for food, feed and research, the critters are among the most widely farmed bugs. The study authors say humans should work to reduce harm in insect farming, handling and experimentationMon, 18 May 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-insects-feel-pain-new-research-suggests-that-crickets-do-180988752/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/The museum is also preparing to reopen its redesigned sculpture garden, featuring new works from eight artists, this fallMon, 18 May 2026 15:00:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-colorful-contemporary-artworks-just-joined-the-hirshhorn-museum-as-the-dc-landmark-celebrated-its-50th-anniversary-180988749/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/A trove of photos and videos gathered from social media has helped researchers propose a few possible reasons for the seldom documented action, called "gaping," including communication, jaw stretching and playMon, 18 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humpback-whales-sometimes-hold-their-mouths-open-for-no-clear-reason-tourists-are-helping-scientists-understand-the-rare-behavior-180988743/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/The 25 newest additions to the national playlist at the Library of Congress have been deemed "worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage"Fri, 15 May 2026 21:32:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/Visitors to the Yorkshire Museum can see artifacts from the Melsonby Hoard, dating to the first century C.E., that rewrite the story of wealth and power in Britain around the time of the Roman invasionFri, 15 May 2026 20:44:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-magical-mirror-the-powerful-queen-of-a-british-tribe-may-have-used-goes-on-display-as-part-of-britains-largest-iron-age-hoard-180988751/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/Seven participants had electrodes temporarily implanted in a brain structure important for learning. While anesthetized, their nerve cells learned to differentiate between distinct sounds—and could even predict upcoming words in phrasesFri, 15 May 2026 15:40:55 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-the-unconscious-mind-aware-of-its-surroundings-new-research-suggests-anesthetized-brains-can-process-overheard-words-180988710/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-rare-dove-hatchlings-are-a-source-of-hope-for-the-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-and-a-step-forward-in-the-ambitious-project-to-save-them-180988730/The Socorro dove has not been recorded in the wild since 1972, but that could change within only a few years, conservationists say, thanks to a long-term reintroduction effortFri, 15 May 2026 15:07:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-rare-dove-hatchlings-are-a-source-of-hope-for-the-extinct-in-the-wild-birds-and-a-step-forward-in-the-ambitious-project-to-save-them-180988730/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-spotted-strange-looking-rocks-near-a-pond-in-thailand-they-turned-out-to-be-the-bones-of-a-massive-new-dinosaur-species-180988744/Paleontologists have dubbed the long-necked, plant-eating creature "Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis." It's the 14th named dinosaur from Thailand, and it might be the biggest one ever found in Southeast AsiaFri, 15 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-spotted-strange-looking-rocks-near-a-pond-in-thailand-they-turned-out-to-be-the-bones-of-a-massive-new-dinosaur-species-180988744/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/Researchers unearthed a 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar that shows signs of dental surgery, a discovery that pushes back the earliest evidence of dental work by roughly 45,000 yearsFri, 15 May 2026 13:34:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthals-got-cavities-too-and-new-research-suggests-they-drilled-into-their-teeth-to-treat-them-just-like-modern-dentists-180988746/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frida-kahlo-and-diego-rivera-sing-themselves-to-death-in-an-opera-at-the-met-inspired-by-greek-mythology-and-mexican-magical-realism-180988742/A new production of the all-Spanish opera "El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego" takes the stage in New York City this week, while a partner exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art explores the art behind the operaThu, 14 May 2026 20:23:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/frida-kahlo-and-diego-rivera-sing-themselves-to-death-in-an-opera-at-the-met-inspired-by-greek-mythology-and-mexican-magical-realism-180988742/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/Scientists suspect that the behavior could harm the manta rays, suggesting a complex relationship between remoras and their hosts that can sometimes be parasiticThu, 14 May 2026 19:56:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-rides-in-manta-rays-buttholes-according-to-new-research-180988736/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-joke-ahead-of-his-100th-birthday-mel-brooks-donates-his-hilarious-archive-to-the-national-comedy-center-180988741/Thousands of notes, storyboards, early scripts and photographs belonging to the “2,000-year-old man” and EGOT winner will join material from Lucille Ball, Joan Rivers and George CarlinThu, 14 May 2026 19:21:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/no-joke-ahead-of-his-100th-birthday-mel-brooks-donates-his-hilarious-archive-to-the-national-comedy-center-180988741/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-building-a-dam-across-the-bering-straight-save-the-planet-from-some-effects-of-climate-change-180988725/A preliminary study suggests that blocking off the waterway between Russia and Alaska could help the survival of a key system of ocean currents. But there could be potential unforeseen consequences, particularly to marine ecosystemsThu, 14 May 2026 16:05:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-building-a-dam-across-the-bering-straight-save-the-planet-from-some-effects-of-climate-change-180988725/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/Yawning is considered a social behavior. Although fetuses were known to yawn, scientists weren't sure if it was a self-contained reflex or if they could somehow detect cues from their momsThu, 14 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fetuses-can-catch-yawns-from-their-mothers-while-still-in-the-womb-new-research-suggests-180988735/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/A study from U.S. and Chinese researchers suggests Neanderthals and early modern humans probably had similar cognitive abilitiesWed, 13 May 2026 21:29:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-homo-sapiens-really-outsmart-neanderthals-different-skull-shapes-didnt-necessarily-mean-unequal-brain-capacity-new-research-shows-180988738/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/According to a new study, people who are exposed to art on a weekly basis are about a year younger "biologically" than those exposed only once or twice per yearWed, 13 May 2026 20:39:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-relaxation-of-listening-to-a-song-or-drawing-a-picture-may-actually-slow-cellular-aging-new-research-show-180988734/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-renaissance-painting-took-a-winding-path-from-hitlers-munich-apartment-to-an-american-journalists-home-to-the-national-gallery-in-london-180988733/An art historian recently spotted the 16th-century artwork in a rare photograph of Hitler’s old apartment that was printed in a 1978 furniture catalogWed, 13 May 2026 19:08:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-renaissance-painting-took-a-winding-path-from-hitlers-munich-apartment-to-an-american-journalists-home-to-the-national-gallery-in-london-180988733/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/The microbe was gathered from the agency's clean rooms, where experts build spacecraft in carefully controlled environments. The findings reveal gaps in the agency's procedures to prevent durable hitchhikersWed, 13 May 2026 18:57:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/The sixth annual competition showcases scientific microscopic imaging, illuminating tiny parts of nature, from individual cells to arthropods, diatoms and a zebrafish brainWed, 13 May 2026 18:45:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-17-intricate-microscope-photographs-that-make-the-miniature-world-immense-they-won-the-evident-image-of-the-year-contest-180988722/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-marine-algae-glow-when-waves-disturb-them-their-bioluminescence-could-power-electricity-free-lamps-of-the-future-180988721/The single-celled organisms usually shimmer for mere milliseconds, but researchers figured out how to sustain their illumination. The technology could one day be used to light robots' ways in the deep sea or spaceWed, 13 May 2026 15:43:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-marine-algae-glow-when-waves-disturb-them-their-bioluminescence-could-power-electricity-free-lamps-of-the-future-180988721/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wolves-are-thriving-at-michigans-isle-royale-national-park-reaching-their-highest-numbers-in-almost-50-years-new-data-suggests-180988727/Scientists estimate that 37 of the animals now roam the rugged archipelago, which has contributed to the dwindling moose population. But the predator-prey ratio might be stabilizingWed, 13 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wolves-are-thriving-at-michigans-isle-royale-national-park-reaching-their-highest-numbers-in-almost-50-years-new-data-suggests-180988727/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/A new study finds that Indigenous Andeans living in what is now Peru have extra copies of a gene called AMY1, which helps the body digest starchTue, 12 May 2026 21:13:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/Although the mission's four astronauts sent a few photos to Earth while in space, most needed to be delivered via physical memory cards once they returned to the planetTue, 12 May 2026 20:32:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-just-uploaded-more-than-12000-stunning-photos-from-the-artemis-2-mission-here-are-a-few-of-our-favorites-180988697/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marilyn-monroe-collections-assembled-for-her-100th-birthday-cut-through-hollywood-glamour-to-reveal-the-stars-human-side-180988726/A selection of the movie star’s clothing, jewelry and dark, personal letters will be auctioned for the big anniversary of her birthTue, 12 May 2026 20:00:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/marilyn-monroe-collections-assembled-for-her-100th-birthday-cut-through-hollywood-glamour-to-reveal-the-stars-human-side-180988726/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/Airborne plastic particles, particularly colorful ones, absorb more sunlight than they reflect, which can heat the surrounding air, according to a new studyTue, 12 May 2026 16:49:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-are-swirling-around-in-the-atmosphere-where-they-might-be-contributing-to-climate-change-180988704/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/Franklin combined art with diplomacy to create the Libertas Americana. For the United States’ 250th anniversary, the Paris Mint is giving the design a refreshTue, 12 May 2026 16:03:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/benjamin-franklin-styled-lady-libertys-look-in-this-medal-he-commissioned-to-honor-american-and-french-allies-in-the-revolutionary-war-180988723/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/Aethelred the Unready viewed the attacks on his kingdom as divine retribution. He hoped that a show of public penance, including the creation of coins featuring religious imagery, would help earn God's forgivenessTue, 12 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-english-king-minted-these-coins-to-ward-off-a-viking-invasion-instead-the-seafaring-raiders-turned-the-pennies-into-jewelry-180988716/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-clues-help-solve-the-mystery-of-an-enslaved-boy-pictured-in-a-portrait-by-a-leading-english-artist-180988717/An oil painting by Joshua Reynolds features a named naval officer and a Black child whose life story was unknown until researchers searched through captains’ logs, letters and admiralty recordsMon, 11 May 2026 21:57:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-clues-help-solve-the-mystery-of-an-enslaved-boy-pictured-in-a-portrait-by-a-leading-english-artist-180988717/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/Alston’s singing mice carry out complex vocalizations and even appear to converse politely with one another. The neural circuitry that makes this possible is simpler than researchers expectedMon, 11 May 2026 20:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-singing-mice-squeak-back-and-forth-and-dont-interrupt-scientists-found-the-brain-pathway-behind-their-impressive-songs-180988720/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/The copper still, likely used to make whisky, would have been hidden away from the oversight of tax collectors after Scotland outlawed unlicensed distilling centuries agoMon, 11 May 2026 20:23:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-famous-twelve-apostles-landmark-rose-out-of-the-sea-across-missions-of-years-180988715/The iconic tourist destination provides a beautiful view, but also represents a physical record of Earth's climate historyMon, 11 May 2026 18:52:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australias-famous-twelve-apostles-landmark-rose-out-of-the-sea-across-missions-of-years-180988715/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1969-the-beatles-played-one-final-show-their-makeshift-rooftop-stage-in-london-will-soon-become-a-museum-180988714/Visitors to 3 Savile Row will be able to see a re-creation of the basement recording studio where the Beatles worked on their final album "Let It Be" and stand on the roof where the band thrilled Londoners with a surprise concertMon, 11 May 2026 18:40:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1969-the-beatles-played-one-final-show-their-makeshift-rooftop-stage-in-london-will-soon-become-a-museum-180988714/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/From a lunging frog to the majestic movements of penguins, the honored photographs capture the wonder of wildlife and beauty of natural landscapesMon, 11 May 2026 14:42:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-15-stunning-images-that-won-the-german-society-for-nature-photographys-annual-contest-180988711/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-curiosity-rover-had-a-martian-rock-stuck-on-its-arm-for-days-watch-it-successfully-shook-the-stubborn-stone-off-180988708/While drilling has fractured rocks, this is the first time the instrument has ever accidentally pulled a whole chunk from the ground, according to the space agencyMon, 11 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-curiosity-rover-had-a-martian-rock-stuck-on-its-arm-for-days-watch-it-successfully-shook-the-stubborn-stone-off-180988708/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/What an early example of a dental bridge reveals about health, wealth and social values in the late medieval and early modern worldFri, 08 May 2026 21:32:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-did-this-wealthy-scotsman-pay-a-jeweler-to-wrap-his-teeth-in-gold-wire-hundreds-of-years-ago-180988709/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/Volcanic eruptions, climate change, crop failures, famine and plague all may have swept through Norway in the sixth century C.E., putting pressure on leaders and their communitiesFri, 08 May 2026 19:45:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-hiker-in-norway-found-an-elite-warriors-golden-sword-ornament-it-was-likely-a-sacrifice-to-the-gods-made-during-a-time-of-turmoil-180988707/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/A new study suggests that a rift in Kenya and Ethiopia has reached a critical stage in the split-up process, and that water may flood it in a few million yearsFri, 08 May 2026 18:48:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/east-africa-might-break-off-from-the-continent-sooner-than-scientists-thought-and-a-new-ocean-may-fill-the-gap-180988659/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/The find challenges assumptions that people in the region thousands of years ago did not spend much time at high altitudesFri, 08 May 2026 17:42:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-green-rocks-discovered-in-a-remote-cave-in-spain-might-be-signs-of-prehistoric-people-working-with-copper-180988706/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/New research has identified four members of the doomed 1845 search for the Northwest Passage, including the owner of a paper-stuffed wallet that has long mystified historiansFri, 08 May 2026 16:07:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-franklin-expedition-officer-died-in-the-arctic-in-uniform-that-didnt-belong-to-him-now-dna-has-revealed-his-identity-180988702/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/Researchers who analyzed genomes from early medieval graves in modern-day Germany hypothesize that people from the former Roman Empire formed families with Germanic people soon after the empire fellFri, 08 May 2026 15:54:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fall-of-the-roman-empire-was-less-a-clash-of-civilizations-and-more-an-opportunity-to-mix-and-mingle-a-new-genetics-study-shows-180988699/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/Munching on the wrong items can lead to illness, but social learning might help the birds avoid making a potentially deadly mistake. The phenomenon could help explain why certain cockatoos have fared so well in urban environmentsFri, 08 May 2026 15:44:52 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/wild-cockatoos-learn-which-snacks-are-safe-to-eat-by-copying-their-friends-new-research-suggests-180988696/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-celestial-body-past-pluto-shouldnt-have-an-atmosphere-but-astronomers-say-they-may-have-detected-one-180988690/Worlds this small and distant are thought to be too cold and have too little surface gravity to hold onto gases. But the findings suggest that icy, rocky objects in the solar system's outer reaches are more dynamic than we thoughtFri, 08 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-tiny-celestial-body-past-pluto-shouldnt-have-an-atmosphere-but-astronomers-say-they-may-have-detected-one-180988690/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/The humanoid promised to obey humans, save energy and treat other robots peacefully. South Korean Buddhist leaders have recently started to embrace artificial intelligenceThu, 07 May 2026 21:21:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-gabi-the-new-robot-monk-at-a-buddhist-temple-in-south-korea-its-the-latest-robot-to-take-up-religious-practice-180988695/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-kiss-gustav-klimt-got-his-first-big-art-assignment-at-this-austrian-theater-now-visitors-can-see-his-ceiling-paintings-up-close-for-the-first-time-180988698/As a young man, the artist who later became famous for working gold leaf into portraits earned a Golden Cross of Merit from an emperor for his contributions to Vienna’s BurgtheaterThu, 07 May 2026 19:13:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-the-kiss-gustav-klimt-got-his-first-big-art-assignment-at-this-austrian-theater-now-visitors-can-see-his-ceiling-paintings-up-close-for-the-first-time-180988698/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/The treatment consists of a Bluetooth headset that patients can connect to an app on their smartphones. It could mark a revolution in mental health medicineThu, 07 May 2026 16:39:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fda-approved-at-home-brain-stimulation-device-aims-to-treat-depression-by-changing-patients-brain-excitability-180988654/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chonkers-the-massive-sea-lion-drew-crowds-to-san-franciscos-famed-pier-39-then-a-new-chunky-showstopper-stole-his-identity-180988691/The Steller sea lion was an unusual visitor to the pier, which typically hosts smaller California sea lions. However, he may have moved on days ago, during which time a humongous member of the area's more common species tricked onlookersThu, 07 May 2026 16:19:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chonkers-the-massive-sea-lion-drew-crowds-to-san-franciscos-famed-pier-39-then-a-new-chunky-showstopper-stole-his-identity-180988691/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/urban-birds-seem-to-be-more-fearful-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-dont-know-why-180988688/The study examined 37 bird species in cities across five European countries. The animals allowed men to get about three feet closer than women, on average, before flying awayThu, 07 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/urban-birds-seem-to-be-more-fearful-of-women-than-men-and-scientists-dont-know-why-180988688/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/In 1731, book lover Franklin created the Library Company of Philadelphia, where this week visitors can see a collection of his papers worth an estimated $3 million to $4.5 millionThu, 07 May 2026 13:43:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/Known as the "Camarat 4," the ship was loaded with cannons, cauldrons and hundreds of ceramics—which are still visible on the seafloor. Researchers are surveying the site and carefully recovering a small selection of artifactsThu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-underwater-robots-are-finding-at-frances-deepest-shipwreck-a-16th-century-merchant-vessel-resting-at-the-bottom-of-the-mediterranean-180988685/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-world-war-ii-this-german-artist-turned-the-art-world-upside-down-literally-by-inverting-his-paintings-180988689/Georg Baselitz, the renowned painter who played with perspective and flipped canvases on their head, died recently at age 88Wed, 06 May 2026 19:42:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-world-war-ii-this-german-artist-turned-the-art-world-upside-down-literally-by-inverting-his-paintings-180988689/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/The country implemented a national vaccination program to prevent the disease in 2007. New data show that in 2021, no women under age 25 were diagnosed with cervical cancer, marking a major milestoneWed, 06 May 2026 15:57:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-australia-be-the-first-country-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-its-on-track-but-hpv-vaccination-and-screening-rates-are-falling-180988681/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-miniseries-brings-lord-of-the-flies-to-television-for-the-first-time-in-the-1950s-the-now-famous-novel-almost-never-got-published-180988684/Publishers rejected the original manuscript for "Lord of the Flies" many times, yet the story still sparks a buzz today. Author William Golding later won the Nobel Prize in LiteratureWed, 06 May 2026 14:07:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-miniseries-brings-lord-of-the-flies-to-television-for-the-first-time-in-the-1950s-the-now-famous-novel-almost-never-got-published-180988684/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/timmy-the-whale-was-released-into-the-sea-after-being-stranded-off-the-german-coast-for-weeks-was-that-the-right-call-180988679/The humpback whale first entered shallow water at the end of March, but its health deteriorated over the past few weeks. Experts have criticized efforts to rescue the animal, which may have done more harm than goodWed, 06 May 2026 13:13:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/timmy-the-whale-was-released-into-the-sea-after-being-stranded-off-the-german-coast-for-weeks-was-that-the-right-call-180988679/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/Three people associated with the vessel have died, and health officials have identified a total of two confirmed cases and five suspected cases of the infection. The virus usually spreads via contaminated rodent droppingsTue, 05 May 2026 21:08:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-deadly-outbreak-of-hantavirus-has-stranded-a-cruise-ship-in-the-atlantic-ocean-heres-what-to-know-about-the-rare-contagion-180988680/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-facial-recognition-find-a-lost-portrait-of-anne-boleyn-scholars-debate-whether-ai-solved-or-merely-muddled-an-art-history-mystery-180988677/Accused of treason, the second wife of Henry VIII lost her head. Now, some researchers argue that she also lost her face among dozens of potentially mislabeled portraits in a royal art collectionTue, 05 May 2026 20:36:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-facial-recognition-find-a-lost-portrait-of-anne-boleyn-scholars-debate-whether-ai-solved-or-merely-muddled-an-art-history-mystery-180988677/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/Less than 1 percent of cancers start in the heart, and disease that begins elsewhere seldom spreads to the blood-pumping organ. New research suggests mechanical force might have a protective roleTue, 05 May 2026 18:31:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cancer-is-somehow-rare-in-the-heart-turns-out-the-organs-rhythmic-beat-might-keep-the-disease-at-bay-a-mouse-study-finds-180988666/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/A funerary custom in Roman Yorkshire of pouring liquid gypsum over bodies before burial preserved traces of Tyrian purpleTue, 05 May 2026 18:20:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-ancient-world-this-pigment-was-worth-more-than-gold-archaeologists-discovered-it-buried-with-babies-in-roman-coffins-180988678/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/T cells, which target infection and disease, can become more effective after a meal. The finding might help improve cancer-fighting therapies and optimize our response to vaccinesTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/youve-been-told-to-feed-a-cold-turns-out-eating-may-truly-boost-your-immune-system-cells-according-to-a-new-study-180988673/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-pluto-once-again-be-considered-a-planet-new-remarks-from-nasas-administrator-highlight-an-enduring-debate-among-scientists-180988671/Two decades ago, the International Astronomical Union—which defines and names celestial bodies—redefined the criteria for being a planet, putting Pluto into the new category of dwarf planetTue, 05 May 2026 15:56:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-pluto-once-again-be-considered-a-planet-new-remarks-from-nasas-administrator-highlight-an-enduring-debate-among-scientists-180988671/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ahead-of-the-2026-met-gala-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-introduced-new-mannequins-with-diverse-body-types-inspired-by-real-people-180988670/The new "Costume Art" exhibition pairs artworks with garments, some of them displayed on custom mannequins constructed through 3D printingMon, 04 May 2026 22:16:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ahead-of-the-2026-met-gala-the-metropolitan-museum-of-art-introduced-new-mannequins-with-diverse-body-types-inspired-by-real-people-180988670/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-but-a-bright-moon-might-spoil-the-show-180988669/This annual event, which peaks on the night of May 5 into the next morning, comes from the trail of debris left by Halley's comet. It's best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, but skywatchers in the north can catch a glimpseMon, 04 May 2026 20:48:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-but-a-bright-moon-might-spoil-the-show-180988669/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/Adventure, comics, childhood, love and everyday life are among the dozens of themes that will guide the curation of the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los AngelesMon, 04 May 2026 20:11:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-creator-of-star-wars-loves-art-that-tells-a-story-peek-at-george-lucas-collection-before-his-new-museum-opens-this-fall-in-los-angeles-180988668/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discover-27-potential-planets-each-orbiting-two-stars-just-like-the-fictional-tatooine-in-star-wars-180988667/The findings could more than double our current database of worlds that loop around binary star systems. But researchers need to analyze more data before they can officially celebrate a new trove of far, far away exoplanetsMon, 04 May 2026 19:24:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discover-27-potential-planets-each-orbiting-two-stars-just-like-the-fictional-tatooine-in-star-wars-180988667/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/The artifact is decorated with an illustration of the defensive fortification in northern England, but it was unearthed some 1,200 miles away. A new study suggests the design reflects a soldier’s achievements at the siteMon, 04 May 2026 18:23:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-souvenir-bowl-may-have-commemorated-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-service-at-hadrians-wall-it-was-discovered-on-a-spanish-farm-1900-years-later-180988665/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-cows-burp-up-so-much-planet-warming-methane-a-newly-discovered-structure-in-their-gut-microbes-could-be-a-culprit-180988664/The "hydrogenobody" is an organelle inside certain microorganisms that live in a special stomach chamber in cattle, sheep and goats, according to a new studyMon, 04 May 2026 16:02:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-do-cows-burp-up-so-much-planet-warming-methane-a-newly-discovered-structure-in-their-gut-microbes-could-be-a-culprit-180988664/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/Scientists made significant advances in underwater archaeology techniques and photogrammetry while investigating the crannog siteMon, 04 May 2026 15:16:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-island-in-scotland-is-actually-a-man-made-mini-landmass-resting-on-a-wooden-platform-new-discovery-shows-180988674/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/One of OpenAI's large language models did better than physicians in several experiments, hinting that A.I.-assisted emergency medical care could be around the cornerMon, 04 May 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-outperformed-doctors-at-diagnosing-real-world-er-patients-in-a-new-study-that-doesnt-mean-computers-will-replace-clinicians-180988660/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/Buried in the mid-11th century, the stash includes silver pieces minted under rulers such as Cnut the Great, Aethelred the Unready and Harald HardradaMon, 04 May 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-largest-viking-age-hoard-ever-found-in-norway-at-nearly-3000-coins-and-counting-the-cache-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-find-180988657/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/attributed-to-banksy-a-new-statue-of-a-suited-man-blinded-by-a-flag-and-walking-off-a-ledge-appeared-in-central-london-180988662/The artwork was installed under the cloak of night this week, less than two months after a journalism investigation into Banksy’s true identity was publishedFri, 01 May 2026 21:51:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/attributed-to-banksy-a-new-statue-of-a-suited-man-blinded-by-a-flag-and-walking-off-a-ledge-appeared-in-central-london-180988662/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-real-winnie-the-pooh-lives-at-the-new-york-public-library-when-queen-camilla-visited-the-bear-she-reunited-him-with-a-dear-friend-180988661/On a state visit to the United States this week, the queen of the United Kingdom became the first British royal to visit the library as she fulfilled a mission to complete the set of toys that Christopher Robin once ownedFri, 01 May 2026 20:19:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-real-winnie-the-pooh-lives-at-the-new-york-public-library-when-queen-camilla-visited-the-bear-she-reunited-him-with-a-dear-friend-180988661/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/A ghoulish face and a graceful dragon decorate the broken clay tiles from the late 13th century or early 14th century. They were found tucked in an old toffee tinFri, 01 May 2026 18:39:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/six-decades-ago-a-boy-stole-medieval-tiles-from-an-english-monastery-he-just-returned-the-illicit-souvenirs-180988663/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/Researchers successfully grew and harvested chickpeas in simulated moon dirt—with a little help from worm poop and a beneficial fungus. However, they're still testing whether the legumes are safe to eatFri, 01 May 2026 17:23:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hummus-made-from-moon-grown-chickpeas-might-be-on-the-menu-for-future-lunar-residents-180988320/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-greek-volcano-seemed-quiet-for-100000-years-then-it-erupted-again-scientists-take-a-second-look-at-extinct-volcanoes-180988651/By reconstructing a 700,000-year history of Methana volcano, geologists found a prehistoric phase when it appeared inactive on the surface, despite magma building up below groundFri, 01 May 2026 16:50:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-greek-volcano-seemed-quiet-for-100000-years-then-it-erupted-again-scientists-take-a-second-look-at-extinct-volcanoes-180988651/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/Researchers analyzed isotopes and DNA in the teeth of remains found in a mass grave from the Plague of Justinian, which swept through the Byzantine EmpireFri, 01 May 2026 15:29:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dead-bodies-filled-a-mass-grave-when-the-first-pandemic-struck-this-early-medieval-city-new-research-explores-the-identity-of-the-victims-180988652/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-the-largest-most-detailed-3d-map-of-the-universe-itll-help-astronomers-investigate-a-cosmic-mystery-dark-energy-180988643/The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument spent five years observing the sky from Arizona. Now, researchers have a trove of data to study how the universe has evolved over billions of yearsFri, 01 May 2026 15:21:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-is-the-largest-most-detailed-3d-map-of-the-universe-itll-help-astronomers-investigate-a-cosmic-mystery-dark-energy-180988643/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/HMS "Victory" served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. It's the world’s oldest warship still in commission—but it's in desperate need of repairsFri, 01 May 2026 15:00:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-the-greats-marble-head-turned-up-in-new-york-us-officials-say-it-was-stolen-and-just-sent-it-back-to-italy-180988650/As part of a longstanding effort to help Italy track down its missing treasures, the U.S. returned hundreds of ancient archaeological finds this weekThu, 30 Apr 2026 20:57:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-the-greats-marble-head-turned-up-in-new-york-us-officials-say-it-was-stolen-and-just-sent-it-back-to-italy-180988650/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/Researchers believe the ax dates to between 1400 B.C.E. and 1275 B.C.E. and is a relic of the Bronze Age, when humans started to work with metalThu, 30 Apr 2026 18:45:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-man-and-his-dog-accidentally-discovered-a-3400-year-old-ax-head-while-out-for-a-walk-in-one-of-englands-ancient-forests-180988649/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/Researchers examined hundreds of soil samples to uncover why the expensive fungi are thriving in the countryThu, 30 Apr 2026 17:43:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/australia-has-a-surprisingly-successful-truffle-industry-this-new-study-could-explain-why-180988653/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-a-lost-copy-of-the-oldest-english-poem-composed-by-an-illiterate-cowherd-more-than-1300-years-ago-180988644/This version of "Caedmon’s Hymn" shows how Old English evolved. It also features early use of a punctuation mark that readers of English take for granted today—the period—but not in the expected wayThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:39:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-a-lost-copy-of-the-oldest-english-poem-composed-by-an-illiterate-cowherd-more-than-1300-years-ago-180988644/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/Recent excavations revealed two skeletons just outside the ancient city's walls. Researchers also created an A.I.-generated reconstruction of one of the victim's harrowing final momentsThu, 30 Apr 2026 15:10:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-man-fled-pompeii-as-mount-vesuvius-erupted-archaeologists-found-him-2000-years-later-holding-a-bowl-to-protect-his-head-and-a-lamp-to-light-his-way-180988647/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/An intense training regimen, good weather conditions, physiology and lightweight shoes probably played a role in their astounding performances during the London Marathon on SundayThu, 30 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-athletes-smashed-a-marathon-milestone-running-26-2-miles-in-under-two-hours-heres-the-science-behind-their-achievements-180988646/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/Archaeologists say that the 63 coins, most of which bear the name of King Burgred of Mercia, might have been hidden in the ninth century to keep them safe at a time of unrestThu, 30 Apr 2026 12:42:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-metal-detectorist-stumbled-upon-a-silver-coin-it-turned-out-to-be-part-of-a-stash-buried-during-the-viking-invasion-of-britain-180988645/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-father-and-daughter-forged-more-than-200-artworks-by-warhol-banksy-picasso-and-others-and-old-them-for-2-million-180988641/The New Jersey residents, who face up to 20 years in prison, commissioned an artist in Poland to create the fakes. They got special penalties for forging paintings by Native American artistsWed, 29 Apr 2026 21:26:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-father-and-daughter-forged-more-than-200-artworks-by-warhol-banksy-picasso-and-others-and-old-them-for-2-million-180988641/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-create-the-first-detailed-smell-map-of-odor-sensors-in-the-mouse-nose-and-sniff-out-some-surprises-180988639/In two new studies, researchers used genetic techniques to upend a longstanding assumption that nerve cells with scent detectors were randomly arranged. They don’t know whether the same spatial organization is found in human nosesWed, 29 Apr 2026 20:59:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-create-the-first-detailed-smell-map-of-odor-sensors-in-the-mouse-nose-and-sniff-out-some-surprises-180988639/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/Structures remaining from the height of the British Empire reveal changing economic, medical and education trends from the 1800s and early 1900s. But their legacy is at risk as they fall into disrepairWed, 29 Apr 2026 19:41:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-buildings-and-bridges-are-the-most-endangered-in-england-and-wales-and-they-tell-us-a-lot-about-life-in-the-victorian-era-180988642/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/The agency's decision is based on results from a clinical trial in which the treatment improved hearing in 80 percent of the pediatric participants. However, Deaf community advocates worry about the push to cure hearing lossWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:44:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-fda-approves-the-first-ever-gene-therapy-for-deafness-which-aims-to-restore-hearing-in-kids-with-a-rare-inherited-condition-180988635/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/The discovery provides another key data point about a little-known species for which every observation mattersWed, 29 Apr 2026 17:16:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-snorkeling-biologist-snapped-the-first-ever-photos-of-newly-hatched-california-giant-salamanders-in-the-wild-heres-why-thats-a-big-deal-180988619/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/Ancient Greek astronomers and early Islamic scientists used astrolabes as mechanical computers to calculate time, determine height and navigate by the starsWed, 29 Apr 2026 14:07:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-giant-400-year-old-astrolabe-made-for-royalty-by-mughal-master-craftsmen-and-owned-by-royalty-fetched-millions-at-auction-180988638/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-the-first-known-video-of-a-sumatran-orangutan-crossing-a-human-made-wildlife-bridge-in-the-treetops-180988637/A public road in Indonesia separates forests housing about 350 wild orangutans, among other animals. So, conservationists built several canopy bridges to prevent habitat fragmentationWed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-the-first-known-video-of-a-sumatran-orangutan-crossing-a-human-made-wildlife-bridge-in-the-treetops-180988637/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/known-for-her-amusing-surreal-sculptures-this-french-artists-sinuous-set-of-mirrors-just-shattered-auction-records-180988632/Claude Lalanne created the reflective ensemble for designer Yves Saint Laurent. Experts say it's second in importance only to the famous mirrors at the Palace of VersaillesTue, 28 Apr 2026 21:16:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/known-for-her-amusing-surreal-sculptures-this-french-artists-sinuous-set-of-mirrors-just-shattered-auction-records-180988632/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warm-waters-are-usually-trapped-deep-within-the-southern-ocean-now-theyre-encroaching-on-antarctica-threatening-its-ice-180988636/Two new studies that relied on data from a fleet of diving robots show how climate change is altering ocean movements in ways that jeopardize the stability of the polar ice capTue, 28 Apr 2026 19:48:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/warm-waters-are-usually-trapped-deep-within-the-southern-ocean-now-theyre-encroaching-on-antarctica-threatening-its-ice-180988636/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/edvard-munchs-lesser-known-chocolate-factory-friezes-head-to-exhibition-in-norway-180988634/Three decades after "The Scream," the Norwegian artist painted scenes of daily life for the Freia chocolate factory. The artworks will be on display in his namesake museum in Oslo this springTue, 28 Apr 2026 18:23:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/edvard-munchs-lesser-known-chocolate-factory-friezes-head-to-exhibition-in-norway-180988634/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/A new exhibition at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris spotlights 300 of the sculptor's groundbreaking kinetic artworks, large-scale public sculptures, paintings, drawings and wire portraitsTue, 28 Apr 2026 16:24:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/alexander-calder-thought-it-would-be-fun-to-set-abstract-art-in-motion-his-mesmerizing-mobiles-transformed-the-definition-of-sculpture-180988631/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worried-your-house-is-haunted-the-spooky-sensation-might-arise-from-a-surprisingly-simple-source-180988622/Infrasound—noise below the range of typical human hearing—from power, heating and mechanical systems within buildings can make people feel irritated and induce a stress response, according to a new studyTue, 28 Apr 2026 15:44:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/worried-your-house-is-haunted-the-spooky-sensation-might-arise-from-a-surprisingly-simple-source-180988622/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-this-mysterious-golden-orb-on-the-seafloor-nearly-three-years-ago-now-they-finally-know-what-it-is-180988624/After a long, winding road of tests, researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and other institutions determined that the strange blob once attached a large sea anemone to a rockTue, 28 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-this-mysterious-golden-orb-on-the-seafloor-nearly-three-years-ago-now-they-finally-know-what-it-is-180988624/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/Minted in Troy in the third century B.C.E., the object might have been buried as a gift to the dead. Archaeologists don't know exactly how it ended up in modern-day GermanyTue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-13-year-old-boy-found-this-bronze-coin-in-a-field-it-turned-out-to-be-the-first-ancient-greek-artifact-discovered-in-berlin-180988627/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/Genomic data provides evidence for a previously unknown wave of migration, with Indigenous groups living in central and southern Mexico spreading into South America and the Caribbean starting around 1,300 years agoTue, 28 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-big-database-of-dna-from-indigenous-americans-shakes-up-scientific-theories-about-human-settlement-of-south-america-180988628/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fires-in-berlin-destroyed-hundreds-of-paintings-during-world-war-ii-now-a-museum-will-publish-photo-archives-of-the-lost-artworks-online-180988621/A proactive effort to document the collection of the Gemäldegalerie will pay off a century later as negatives of lost paintings by Rubens and Caravaggio are digitized and published onlineMon, 27 Apr 2026 20:25:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/fires-in-berlin-destroyed-hundreds-of-paintings-during-world-war-ii-now-a-museum-will-publish-photo-archives-of-the-lost-artworks-online-180988621/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-came-from-an-extremely-cold-lonely-region-of-the-milky-way-galaxy-new-research-suggests-180988625/Astronomers analyzed the vapors coming off the comet when it neared the sun and found it had a lot of "heavy" water. That hints it grew up in a frigid planetary system, possibly before its home star formedMon, 27 Apr 2026 19:26:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-came-from-an-extremely-cold-lonely-region-of-the-milky-way-galaxy-new-research-suggests-180988625/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-damaged-florences-fountain-of-neptune-while-attempting-to-grope-its-marble-statue-on-a-dare-180988623/Fixing the fountain’s horse sculptures and frieze will cost nearly $6,000. The alleged offender is the latest tourist to harm artwork in response to peer pressure or in pursuit of social media cloutMon, 27 Apr 2026 17:52:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-tourist-damaged-florences-fountain-of-neptune-while-attempting-to-grope-its-marble-statue-on-a-dare-180988623/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/The massive invertebrates may have been top predators, according to an analysis of their fossilized jaws. The work suggests that ancient oceans weren't completely ruled by spine-bearing creatures, as previously thoughtMon, 27 Apr 2026 16:04:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bone-crunching-octopus-was-nearly-the-size-of-a-semitruck-and-may-have-feasted-on-giant-reptiles-100-million-years-ago-180988616/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-1-in-50-million-split-color-lobster-caught-off-the-coast-of-massachusetts-its-carrying-two-sets-of-genetic-information-180988615/The unusual-looking crustacean is two-toned, with a line dividing its body into an orange side and a brown side. This can happen when two fertilized, unlaid lobster eggs touch—causing one to absorb the otherMon, 27 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-1-in-50-million-split-color-lobster-caught-off-the-coast-of-massachusetts-its-carrying-two-sets-of-genetic-information-180988615/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-have-language-new-research-suggests-they-had-the-genetic-hardware-for-it-like-humans-180988620/Specific genomic regions that seem to play a role in human language development evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago, before humans and Neanderthals diverged from a common ancestor, a new study findsMon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-have-language-new-research-suggests-they-had-the-genetic-hardware-for-it-like-humans-180988620/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/state-licensed-medical-marijuana-has-been-reclassified-as-a-less-dangerous-drug-heres-what-that-means-180988617/The move should make it easier for researchers to study the substance and give tax breaks to licensed medical marijuana dealersFri, 24 Apr 2026 20:32:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/state-licensed-medical-marijuana-has-been-reclassified-as-a-less-dangerous-drug-heres-what-that-means-180988617/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-museum-of-ai-art-will-open-in-los-angeles-as-the-art-world-ponders-questions-of-ethics-and-sustainability-180988613/Dataland's immersive exhibitions, generated with artificial intelligence, will debut to the public on June 20, with an inaugural show about rainforests trained on millions of images of natureFri, 24 Apr 2026 20:28:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-first-museum-of-ai-art-will-open-in-los-angeles-as-the-art-world-ponders-questions-of-ethics-and-sustainability-180988613/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-keep-the-voyager-1-spacecraft-on-its-interstellar-journey-nasa-turned-off-one-of-its-few-remaining-instruments-180988608/The probe launched almost 50 years ago and is the farthest human-made object from Earth. Shutting down one of its scientific devices will help it conserve energy and continue traveling toward the edge of the solar systemFri, 24 Apr 2026 18:59:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-keep-the-voyager-1-spacecraft-on-its-interstellar-journey-nasa-turned-off-one-of-its-few-remaining-instruments-180988608/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-smart-movie-theatre-is-tracking-audiences-brain-waves-and-heart-rates-to-create-more-engaging-films-180988614/Researchers at the University of Bristol are studying the appeal of the cinema-watching experience by turning one theater into a biometric laboratoryFri, 24 Apr 2026 18:20:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-new-smart-movie-theatre-is-tracking-audiences-brain-waves-and-heart-rates-to-create-more-engaging-films-180988614/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-ecosystem-engineers-and-they-might-be-helpful-allies-in-the-fight-against-human-caused-climate-change-180988609/New research suggests that wetlands created by the industrious rodents are carbon sinks, meaning they store a lot of heat-trapping carbon dioxide—the human-produced gas largely responsible for today's global warmingFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:36:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/beavers-are-ecosystem-engineers-and-they-might-be-helpful-allies-in-the-fight-against-human-caused-climate-change-180988609/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/When the climate cooled, the population of Neanderthals shrank. Most that lived between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago were descended from the same lineage and had very similar DNAFri, 24 Apr 2026 14:04:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-killed-the-neanderthals-new-research-suggests-a-lack-of-genetic-diversity-may-be-partially-to-blame-180988612/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/The "harbor" of the Strait of Gibraltar is the final resting place for shipwrecks from ancient Rome, the medieval era and World War II, according to a new archaeological surveyFri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-graveyard-of-shipwrecks-between-europe-and-africa-archaeologists-discovered-vessels-doomed-over-thousands-of-years-180988605/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-japan-a-new-steward-for-1200-years-of-cherry-blossom-data-has-been-found-sustaining-a-climate-change-research-project-180988607/Climate scientist Yasuyuki Aono, who died last summer, learned to read ancient Japanese script to compile records on peak bloom dating back to the ninth century C.E.Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:56:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-japan-a-new-steward-for-1200-years-of-cherry-blossom-data-has-been-found-sustaining-a-climate-change-research-project-180988607/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mars-rover-found-building-blocks-of-life-never-seen-on-the-red-planet-before-boosting-the-case-for-ancient-habitability-180988610/The organic molecules discovered by NASA’s Curiosity rover could have been formed by life, but they could have also come from geologic processes or meteoritesThu, 23 Apr 2026 20:10:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-mars-rover-found-building-blocks-of-life-never-seen-on-the-red-planet-before-boosting-the-case-for-ancient-habitability-180988610/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gibraltars-famous-monkeys-are-eating-dirt-likely-to-alleviate-stomach-aches-from-munching-on-tourists-junk-food-180988606/The British territory's Barbary macaques are the only wild monkeys in Europe. But many are consuming human snacks high in calories, sugar, salt and dairy, and low in fiberThu, 23 Apr 2026 19:51:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/gibraltars-famous-monkeys-are-eating-dirt-likely-to-alleviate-stomach-aches-from-munching-on-tourists-junk-food-180988606/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-cloud-jaguar-was-spotted-in-honduran-mountains-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade-representing-a-win-for-conservationists-180988595/The big cats are rarely seen at high elevations, so the sighting suggests that efforts to protect a wildlife corridor in the region are workingThu, 23 Apr 2026 15:37:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-rare-cloud-jaguar-was-spotted-in-honduran-mountains-for-the-first-time-in-a-decade-representing-a-win-for-conservationists-180988595/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/The excerpt from Homer's epic poem features his catalog of ships, a famous passage listing the Greek forces that sailed to Troy. It may be the first Greek literary text found in the context of mummificationThu, 23 Apr 2026 15:07:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-unearth-a-papyrus-fragment-from-the-iliad-tucked-inside-the-wrappings-of-a-1600-year-old-egyptian-mummy-180988603/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cocaine-pollution-seems-to-make-salmon-swim-faster-and-farther-than-usual-scientists-dont-know-the-long-term-consequences-180988600/The illegal drug’s main byproduct, benzoylecgonine, caused more robust effects than cocaine itself. Wastewater treatment plants often don't fully process such metabolites, so they are frequently found in bodies of water at higher concentrations than their parent drugsThu, 23 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cocaine-pollution-seems-to-make-salmon-swim-faster-and-farther-than-usual-scientists-dont-know-the-long-term-consequences-180988600/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-couple-from-mexico-became-soft-taco-pioneers-in-los-angeles-50-years-ago-now-their-restaurant-is-a-landmark-180988602/Raúl and Lupe Martinez opened King Taco and served up soft corn tortillas like they remembered from home. The rest is—now officially—history, thanks to a vote from the Los Angeles City CouncilThu, 23 Apr 2026 13:26:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-couple-from-mexico-became-soft-taco-pioneers-in-los-angeles-50-years-ago-now-their-restaurant-is-a-landmark-180988602/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-embraces-new-role-as-lending-library-thanks-to-a-big-gift-that-sends-artwork-to-other-museums-180988597/A $116 million donation from the family foundation of longtime trustee Mitchell P. Rales will help share the museum's collection in honor of the 250th birthday of the U.S.Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:03:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-embraces-new-role-as-lending-library-thanks-to-a-big-gift-that-sends-artwork-to-other-museums-180988597/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humanoid-robot-just-beat-the-human-world-record-for-the-fastest-half-marathon-during-a-race-in-china-180988599/A self-navigating robot called Lightning, developed by Chinese electronics company Honor, won the 13.1-mile race. Its results and others mark significant advancements since last year's inaugural event, where only 6 of the 21 androids reached the finish lineWed, 22 Apr 2026 19:27:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-humanoid-robot-just-beat-the-human-world-record-for-the-fastest-half-marathon-during-a-race-in-china-180988599/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-coin-scavenger-hunt-in-san-francisco-offers-participants-the-chance-to-relive-the-california-gold-rush-180988598/A local coin dealer will hide historic currency worth a total of $50,000 in its third annual citywide challenge on April 25Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:42:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-rare-coin-scavenger-hunt-in-san-francisco-offers-participants-the-chance-to-relive-the-california-gold-rush-180988598/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-are-still-evolving-natural-selection-has-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-less-male-pattern-baldness-a-study-suggests-180988563/A massive study of ancient and modern DNA from thousands of West Eurasian people has identified nearly 500 genetic variants that evolution has selected for or against in recent historyWed, 22 Apr 2026 17:34:32 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-are-still-evolving-natural-selection-has-favored-genes-linked-to-red-hair-and-less-male-pattern-baldness-a-study-suggests-180988563/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bob-dylans-original-typewritten-draft-lyrics-for-im-not-there-have-been-rediscovered-after-more-than-half-a-century-180988592/For decades, eager fans could only hear the obscure song on bootleg vinyl recordings. The draft lyrics, which were found inside a first-edition copy of Allen Ginsberg poetry, just sold at auction for $6,800Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bob-dylans-original-typewritten-draft-lyrics-for-im-not-there-have-been-rediscovered-after-more-than-half-a-century-180988592/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-use-many-of-the-same-brain-cells-to-see-and-to-imagine-objects-a-study-suggests-the-findings-provide-a-new-window-into-memory-180988580/While past research has hinted at an overlap in relevant brain regions, the new work drills down to the cellular level. The discovery could help improve treatments for memory disorders, such as dementia, and certain psychiatric conditions, like schizophreniaWed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/we-use-many-of-the-same-brain-cells-to-see-and-to-imagine-objects-a-study-suggests-the-findings-provide-a-new-window-into-memory-180988580/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dazzling-tiffany-stained-glass-window-adorned-a-church-for-more-than-a-century-now-it-needs-a-new-home-180988590/The Second Congregational Church of Winsted in Connecticut will auction off the colorful artwork featuring a stunning waterfall and sunsetWed, 22 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-dazzling-tiffany-stained-glass-window-adorned-a-church-for-more-than-a-century-now-it-needs-a-new-home-180988590/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/green-wood-cemetery-restored-a-victorian-greenhouse-to-welcome-visitors-to-its-historic-grounds-180988588/Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn grew out of the 19th-century "rural cemetery" movement that transformed graveyards from cramped and dark to sprawling and beautifulTue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/green-wood-cemetery-restored-a-victorian-greenhouse-to-welcome-visitors-to-its-historic-grounds-180988588/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronauts-memories-of-earths-gravity-may-influence-how-they-move-and-hold-objects-even-after-months-in-space-180988586/Examining the fine motor skills of space travelers can help improve safety for future missions, scientists sayTue, 21 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronauts-memories-of-earths-gravity-may-influence-how-they-move-and-hold-objects-even-after-months-in-space-180988586/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-john-keats-love-story-was-cut-short-his-letters-mysteriously-disappeared-until-rare-book-dealers-acted-on-a-hunch-180988585/Eight letters that John Keats penned to his fiancée before his untimely death are “the literary find of a lifetime”Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:53:06 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-john-keats-love-story-was-cut-short-his-letters-mysteriously-disappeared-until-rare-book-dealers-acted-on-a-hunch-180988585/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/disabled-parrot-in-new-zealand-became-alpha-male-thanks-to-his-innovative-fighting-style-180988587/A kea parrot's half-beak became an advantage instead of a disadvantage, researchers suggest in a new studyTue, 21 Apr 2026 18:46:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/disabled-parrot-in-new-zealand-became-alpha-male-thanks-to-his-innovative-fighting-style-180988587/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rats-usually-duke-it-out-to-decide-who-becomes-a-colonys-next-queen-but-these-unusual-creatures-are-also-capable-of-peaceful-transitions-new-research-suggests-180988589/In a laboratory experiment centered around a colony known as the Amigos, researchers observed a subordinate female take over reproduction without incidentTue, 21 Apr 2026 18:37:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/naked-mole-rats-usually-duke-it-out-to-decide-who-becomes-a-colonys-next-queen-but-these-unusual-creatures-are-also-capable-of-peaceful-transitions-new-research-suggests-180988589/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/While preparing for school renovations, researchers in Texas found remnants of the historic San Pedro acequia, a centuries-old technology that provided water to the burgeoning villageTue, 21 Apr 2026 17:26:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renaissance-art-linked-beauty-with-virtue-and-ugliness-with-vice-see-how-painters-from-leonardo-da-vinci-to-botticelli-viewed-physical-attractiveness-180988584/An exhibition in Brussels spotlights 90-plus artworks featuring golden-haired muses, greedy old men and those deemed unattractive simply because they were differentTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:55:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/renaissance-art-linked-beauty-with-virtue-and-ugliness-with-vice-see-how-painters-from-leonardo-da-vinci-to-botticelli-viewed-physical-attractiveness-180988584/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/Scientists think Neanderthal children may have had faster growth rates because larger bodies tend to retain heat more effectively than smaller onesTue, 21 Apr 2026 15:14:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/neanderthal-kids-grew-up-so-fast-at-least-compared-to-their-human-peers-thanks-to-genetic-adaptations-to-their-environment-180988583/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/A structure blending Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles was discovered in the ancient city of Pelusium at the edge of the Nile DeltaTue, 21 Apr 2026 01:59:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-ancient-gods-name-was-mud-archaeologists-discovered-a-water-filled-temple-possibly-tied-to-him-in-egypt-180988581/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anglerfish-are-known-for-their-built-in-fishing-rods-new-research-sheds-light-on-how-these-lures-evolved-in-the-strange-creatures-180988577/A new study suggests the odd appendages first appeared in the fish's ancestors around 72 million years ago. Today, females might use them not only to attract prey but also to communicate with potential matesMon, 20 Apr 2026 21:41:41 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/anglerfish-are-known-for-their-built-in-fishing-rods-new-research-sheds-light-on-how-these-lures-evolved-in-the-strange-creatures-180988577/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/look-up-this-week-to-see-the-peak-of-the-lyrid-meteor-shower-humans-have-documented-this-dazzling-display-for-2700-years-180988578/During the wee hours of April 22, moonset times will give stargazers in much of the United States a solid stretch of dark sky before sunriseMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:48:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/look-up-this-week-to-see-the-peak-of-the-lyrid-meteor-shower-humans-have-documented-this-dazzling-display-for-2700-years-180988578/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-ai-determine-which-artist-made-a-painting-this-new-brushstroke-detection-tool-may-have-solved-a-mystery-about-el-greco-180988576/While debating the authorship of "The Baptism of Christ," one of El Greco’s final works, art experts long relied on their own analysis of brushstrokes. A new study tapped artificial intelligence to peer at the paint at a microscopic levelMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:33:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-ai-determine-which-artist-made-a-painting-this-new-brushstroke-detection-tool-may-have-solved-a-mystery-about-el-greco-180988576/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-5-6-million-burrowing-bees-beneath-a-cemetery-in-new-york-the-group-is-one-of-the-largest-on-record-180988573/Researchers in Ithaca estimated the number of ground-nesting bees emerging from a local cemetery in spring 2023, revealing just how abundant some understudied pollinators areMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:12:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-found-5-6-million-burrowing-bees-beneath-a-cemetery-in-new-york-the-group-is-one-of-the-largest-on-record-180988573/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/The artifact belonged to first-class passenger Laura Mabel Francatelli, a secretary heading to Chicago with her employer. It's the only life vest connected to a survivor of the 1912 shipwreck to ever appear at auctionMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:11:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanic-carried-3500-life-jackets-but-almost-all-of-them-have-been-lost-to-history-this-one-just-sold-at-auction-for-nearly-1-million-180988574/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/Europeans spread rumors about degraded gold from their Akan trade partners. A new analysis of artifacts from the "Whydah Gally" shipwreck tells a different storyMon, 20 Apr 2026 17:03:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pirate-shipwreck-off-the-coast-of-cape-cod-sets-the-historical-record-straight-on-west-african-gold-180988572/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/Archaeologists in Israel unearthed prehistoric hand axes that Homo erectus crafted from stones including fossils and crystals, perhaps a sign that they wanted to connect with the cosmosMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/newly-discovered-stone-tools-made-from-geodes-and-fossils-hint-at-homo-erectus-connection-with-the-cosmos-180988565/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/In a cave tucked beneath the Welsh landmark, archaeologists have found evidence of human and animal visits over the past 120,000 years. Now, they're starting a five-year excavation projectMon, 20 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-medieval-castle-sits-atop-a-prehistoric-time-capsule-new-excavations-could-reveal-the-history-of-neanderthals-in-britain-180988562/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spice-girls-changed-pop-forever-in-1996-thirty-years-later-their-iconic-outfits-are-on-display-in-a-new-exhibition-in-london-180988569/The Barbican Music Library is celebrating British pop culture with a show that features Mel B's leopard catsuit, Emma Bunton's blue dress and Geri Halliwell's Union Jack bootsMon, 20 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spice-girls-changed-pop-forever-in-1996-thirty-years-later-their-iconic-outfits-are-on-display-in-a-new-exhibition-in-london-180988569/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/Archaeologists in northern Guatemala unearthed a colonnaded open hall that may have served as a council house, where local leaders and everyday people met to discuss political issuesMon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-times-trouble-maya-rejected-divine-kingship-newly-discovered-public-building-reveals-how-the-transition-to-shared-power-unfolded-180988567/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-still-dont-know-how-or-when-the-grand-canyon-formed-new-research-may-hint-at-its-ancient-origins-180988570/Researchers say the ancestral Colorado River formed an ancient lake in northern Arizona roughly 6.6 million years ago, which spilled out westward onto the landscape that would eventually become the Grand CanyonFri, 17 Apr 2026 19:11:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-still-dont-know-how-or-when-the-grand-canyon-formed-new-research-may-hint-at-its-ancient-origins-180988570/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shakespeares-house-in-london-was-lost-to-history-a-scholar-discovered-a-map-in-the-archives-that-revealed-its-exact-location-180988566/The Bard purchased the property three years before his death in 1616. Had he hoped to spend more time in the city where he wrote his best-known plays?Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:46:49 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/shakespeares-house-in-london-was-lost-to-history-a-scholar-discovered-a-map-in-the-archives-that-revealed-its-exact-location-180988566/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/In 1943, a chemist in Switzerland synthesized a drug that alters consciousness. His discovery changed the study of medicine, psychiatry and biology—and became a central component of the counterculture movementFri, 17 Apr 2026 17:56:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-first-lsd-trip-was-a-literal-bicycle-ride-83-years-ago-fans-of-the-psychedelic-celebrate-the-occasion-every-april-19-180988564/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-spanish-settlers-died-at-the-port-of-famine-this-newly-discovered-silver-coin-reveals-where-the-doomed-colony-was-founded-400-years-ago-180988519/Ciudad del Rey Don Felipe was established on the north shore of Chile's Strait of Magellan in 1584. When an English navigator came across it several years later, few survivors remainedFri, 17 Apr 2026 17:42:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hundreds-of-spanish-settlers-died-at-the-port-of-famine-this-newly-discovered-silver-coin-reveals-where-the-doomed-colony-was-founded-400-years-ago-180988519/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-rounding-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-reflect-on-the-enormity-of-the-experience-we-as-countries-and-as-humans-did-this-180988568/In their first press conference since returning from space, the four-person crew described feeling small but united with people on Earth and said the mission was an achievement by all of humanityFri, 17 Apr 2026 15:01:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-rounding-the-moon-artemis-2-astronauts-reflect-on-the-enormity-of-the-experience-we-as-countries-and-as-humans-did-this-180988568/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bountiful-berry-harvest-put-these-chunky-endangered-parrots-in-the-mood-now-scientists-are-celebrating-a-breeding-bonanza-180988510/New Zealand's kakapo have laid 256 eggs, and around 100 of them have hatched, providing a bright spot in a decades-long conservation effort. The official chick count won't be confirmed until the youngest birds are about 5 months oldFri, 17 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-bountiful-berry-harvest-put-these-chunky-endangered-parrots-in-the-mood-now-scientists-are-celebrating-a-breeding-bonanza-180988510/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-a-cold-war-bunker-buried-underneath-this-medieval-english-castle-in-case-of-nuclear-armageddon-180988561/Archaeologists uncovered a relic of the 20th-century conflict beneath Scarborough Castle, decades after the bunker was sealed and its exact location was forgottenThu, 16 Apr 2026 19:00:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-is-a-cold-war-bunker-buried-underneath-this-medieval-english-castle-in-case-of-nuclear-armageddon-180988561/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-ants-crawled-all-over-larger-ants-and-licked-them-clean-scientists-arent-sure-how-this-behavior-benefits-any-of-them-180988555/After witnessing the interactions in an Arizona desert, a Smithsonian researcher suggests that the little ants picked off tasty treats and that the big ants got thoroughly groomed in hard-to-reach placesThu, 16 Apr 2026 18:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-tiny-ants-crawled-all-over-larger-ants-and-licked-them-clean-scientists-arent-sure-how-this-behavior-benefits-any-of-them-180988555/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/Genetic testing revealed that nutria living in California since 2017 are most closely related to a population in central Oregon—too far for the creatures to have traveled on their ownThu, 16 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/large-invasive-rodents-are-wreaking-havoc-in-california-new-research-suggests-someone-deliberately-introduced-them-180988554/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-1990s-a-dog-taught-kids-about-shakespeare-and-homer-a-new-documentary-tells-the-tale-of-wishbone-from-his-backflips-to-his-historical-hats-180988552/The film reunites the human cast and crew who saw the potential of a Jack Russell terrier to bring classic literature to life on PBSThu, 16 Apr 2026 15:31:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-the-1990s-a-dog-taught-kids-about-shakespeare-and-homer-a-new-documentary-tells-the-tale-of-wishbone-from-his-backflips-to-his-historical-hats-180988552/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/Diary entries by the Japanese poet Fujiwara no Teika, along with other historical sources from across Asia and Europe, played pivotal roles in a new studyThu, 16 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/medieval-writings-and-tree-rings-helped-researchers-track-a-solar-storm-from-800-years-ago-and-reconstruct-past-solar-cycles-180988546/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/The "Clough," a 125-foot-long bark, sank in September 1868 near Cleveland, with just one crew member surviving to explain what had happenedThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:35:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-glowing-sphere-towering-over-utah-sent-an-urgent-artistic-message-the-great-salt-lake-is-drying-up-180988553/Olafur Eliasson's latest installation married visuals with a soundscape to draw the public's attention to the plight of the important ecosystemThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-glowing-sphere-towering-over-utah-sent-an-urgent-artistic-message-the-great-salt-lake-is-drying-up-180988553/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-this-newly-discovered-2000-year-old-stone-slab-depict-a-roman-emperor-as-an-egyptian-pharaoh-180988549/The sandstone monument shows Tiberius standing next to a family of local gods. Archaeologists say the scene illustrates the ruler's role as a leader who upheld cosmic order in Egyptian societyWed, 15 Apr 2026 17:56:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-does-this-newly-discovered-2000-year-old-stone-slab-depict-a-roman-emperor-as-an-egyptian-pharaoh-180988549/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-different-psychedelics-affect-the-brain-scientists-analyzed-more-than-500-neural-scans-to-find-out-180988534/A new study suggests that four psychoactive compounds work in surprisingly similar ways, and that they break down the separation between how we think internally and how we perceive the outside worldWed, 15 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-different-psychedelics-affect-the-brain-scientists-analyzed-more-than-500-neural-scans-to-find-out-180988534/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/does-your-cat-always-leave-behind-a-half-full-bowl-of-food-new-research-points-to-why-our-furry-friends-can-be-such-picky-eaters-180988540/A new study suggests that domestic cats get bored of monotonous meals. Switching up their food—or even just nearby scents—could help them join the clean plate clubWed, 15 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/does-your-cat-always-leave-behind-a-half-full-bowl-of-food-new-research-points-to-why-our-furry-friends-can-be-such-picky-eaters-180988540/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/New research based on fragments discovered at the Neumark-Nord site in Germany suggests Neanderthals may have transformed the shells into toolsWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:46:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turtles-may-have-been-tasty-snacks-for-neanderthals-125000-years-ago-but-their-shells-were-probably-the-real-prize-180988550/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-made-the-most-complete-map-of-the-clitoris-sensory-nerve-network-heres-what-found-180988463/Cultural taboos around female sexuality have hindered research on the organ. But a new study provides pivotal insights that can inform important surgeries and health careWed, 15 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-just-made-the-most-complete-map-of-the-clitoris-sensory-nerve-network-heres-what-found-180988463/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-1897-film-discovered-in-an-old-trunk-in-michigan-features-the-first-on-screen-appearance-of-robot-180988547/Filmmaker Georges Méliès employed some of his signature special effects techniques to create comedy in "Gugusse and the Automaton"Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:16:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rare-1897-film-discovered-in-an-old-trunk-in-michigan-features-the-first-on-screen-appearance-of-robot-180988547/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/colombia-plans-to-euthanize-dozens-of-cocaine-hippos-descendants-of-animals-brought-by-notorious-drug-trafficker-pablo-escobar-180988548/If nothing is done to control the invasive creatures, officials estimate the population could grow to 1,000 animals by 2035. So, they aim to cull about 80 individuals later this yearTue, 14 Apr 2026 21:15:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/colombia-plans-to-euthanize-dozens-of-cocaine-hippos-descendants-of-animals-brought-by-notorious-drug-trafficker-pablo-escobar-180988548/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/born-to-a-family-of-sharecroppers-this-topiary-artist-overcame-discrimination-to-become-the-picasso-of-plants-180988544/Self-taught artist Pearl Fryar, who died this month at age 86, got his start when he tried to win an award from his local garden club. He ended up becoming a celebrity in the horticultural worldTue, 14 Apr 2026 19:44:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/born-to-a-family-of-sharecroppers-this-topiary-artist-overcame-discrimination-to-become-the-picasso-of-plants-180988544/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-misidentified-this-seal-tooth-pendant-was-carefully-crafted-by-a-prehistoric-human-roughly-15000-years-ago-180988543/Discovered in 1867, the artifact raises new theories about the Magdalenian people who inhabited southwest England during the Late Upper Paleolithic periodTue, 14 Apr 2026 18:23:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-misidentified-this-seal-tooth-pendant-was-carefully-crafted-by-a-prehistoric-human-roughly-15000-years-ago-180988543/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-american-wests-most-iconic-birds-is-attempting-to-mate-near-a-dangerous-airport-could-robo-birds-help-save-them-180988542/Conservationists are deploying dancing animatronic birds to lure male greater sage grouse away from the Jackson Hole Airport, where dozens of the creatures have been struck and killed by planesTue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/one-of-the-american-wests-most-iconic-birds-is-attempting-to-mate-near-a-dangerous-airport-could-robo-birds-help-save-them-180988542/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-sparkling-tiaras-pastel-hats-new-buckingham-palace-exhibition-celebrates-fashion-elizabeth-ii-180988526/In addition to being a world leader, the British queen was a fashion icon. A new show at Elizabeth’s former residence highlights some of the most memorable looks and the history behind themTue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/from-sparkling-tiaras-pastel-hats-new-buckingham-palace-exhibition-celebrates-fashion-elizabeth-ii-180988526/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/In celebration of the semiquincentennial this year, "Dear America" looks at the country's land, communities and revolutionary history through artworks dating back to the late 18th centuryTue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-major-music-release-days-stay-extra-vigilant-while-driving-car-crash-deaths-seem-to-spike-when-top-artists-drop-new-albums-180988541/A new study found a correlation between big album release days and traffic fatalities. While the research can't prove the new music caused the accidents, the work hints at a major distractor while drivingTue, 14 Apr 2026 14:37:36 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/on-major-music-release-days-stay-extra-vigilant-while-driving-car-crash-deaths-seem-to-spike-when-top-artists-drop-new-albums-180988541/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/war-can-feel-surreal-see-how-american-photojournalist-lee-miller-captured-horrors-dark-humor-world-war-ii-180988523/A rediscovered scrapbook showcases never-before-seen images by Lee Miller, a war correspondent for British "Vogue" who followed American troops through EuropeTue, 14 Apr 2026 12:04:59 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/war-can-feel-surreal-see-how-american-photojournalist-lee-miller-captured-horrors-dark-humor-world-war-ii-180988523/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-millennium-old-sacrificial-altar-in-mexico-belonged-to-a-civilization-that-thrived-before-the-aztecs-180988539/Surrounded by human skulls, the artifact was uncovered at the site of the Toltec people's capital in central Mexico ahead of construction of a new railway projectTue, 14 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-millennium-old-sacrificial-altar-in-mexico-belonged-to-a-civilization-that-thrived-before-the-aztecs-180988539/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-300-million-year-old-mummified-fossil-reveals-the-origins-of-breathing-in-amniotes-180988521/Unusually well-preserved fossils have provided the earliest known evidence of a land vertebrate that could pump air in and out of its chest using muscles between the ribs—the same strategy used by modern mammals, reptiles and birdsMon, 13 Apr 2026 20:06:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-300-million-year-old-mummified-fossil-reveals-the-origins-of-breathing-in-amniotes-180988521/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-dizzying-spiral-staircase-with-a-single-guardrail-once-led-to-the-top-of-the-eiffel-tower-now-you-can-buy-14-of-the-original-steps-180988535/The 1,062 steps connecting the tower's second and third levels were installed in 1889. Fragments from the 137-year-old staircase can be found at several French museumsMon, 13 Apr 2026 18:08:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-dizzying-spiral-staircase-with-a-single-guardrail-once-led-to-the-top-of-the-eiffel-tower-now-you-can-buy-14-of-the-original-steps-180988535/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rolled-up-in-a-cellar-for-decades-this-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-is-now-up-for-auction-why-is-mary-magdalenes-face-missing-from-the-portrait-180988537/Found in Berlin, the artwork was probably damaged in the chaotic aftermath of World War II. Despite the gaping hole in the canvas, it could sell for upwards of $180,000 later this monthMon, 13 Apr 2026 17:10:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rolled-up-in-a-cellar-for-decades-this-artemisia-gentileschi-painting-is-now-up-for-auction-why-is-mary-magdalenes-face-missing-from-the-portrait-180988537/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-how-thailand-splashes-into-spring-with-songkran-a-new-years-water-festival-starting-april-13-180988536/The memorable tradition has a deep cultural history rooted in Buddhism and increasing global notoriety for its rowdy water fightsMon, 13 Apr 2026 16:38:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-how-thailand-splashes-into-spring-with-songkran-a-new-years-water-festival-starting-april-13-180988536/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/The patient was bedridden and needed daily blood transfusions, and she had tried nine different therapies that didn't bring lasting effects. So, researchers modified some of her immune cells so they would attack her faulty cellsMon, 13 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-this-personalized-cell-therapy-treated-three-life-threatening-autoimmune-diseases-in-one-patient-180988528/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-does-this-anti-war-masterpiece-belong-in-spain-a-request-to-borrow-picassos-guernica-sparks-a-bitter-debate-180988533/The artwork depicts the bombing of a Basque village in 1937. Now, the relocation debate is raising questions about how to balance the painting’s cultural significance with conservation needsMon, 13 Apr 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/where-does-this-anti-war-masterpiece-belong-in-spain-a-request-to-borrow-picassos-guernica-sparks-a-bitter-debate-180988533/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/Researchers think the newly unearthed structure was used to fire and cure bricks during construction of the site’s original mansion in the early 1770sMon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-2-astronauts-successfully-return-to-earth-after-completing-a-historic-mission-around-the-moon-180988513/The crewmembers splashed down Friday after breaking a space-faring record and viewing lunar features never seen by human eyes during their ten-day trip. It marks the first time anyone has left Earth's orbit in more than 50 yearsSat, 11 Apr 2026 00:07:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-2-astronauts-successfully-return-to-earth-after-completing-a-historic-mission-around-the-moon-180988513/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-chimps-have-been-fighting-in-a-civil-war-for-nearly-a-decade-its-the-bloodiest-split-ever-seen-among-their-kind-180988527/The Ngogo chimpanzees in Uganda have divided themselves into two main factions, and dozens of deaths have been recorded since the split in 2018. A new study details the unprecedented violence, which could shed light on the evolutionary underpinnings of human warfareFri, 10 Apr 2026 20:12:47 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-wild-chimps-have-been-fighting-in-a-civil-war-for-nearly-a-decade-its-the-bloodiest-split-ever-seen-among-their-kind-180988527/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-vincent-van-gogh-painting-was-found-wrapped-in-an-ikea-bag-and-a-blood-stained-pillow-now-the-artwork-has-been-restored-to-its-former-glory-180988530/Art sleuth Arthur Brand recovered "The Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring" in 2023, three years after it was stolen from a Dutch museum. Following careful restoration, the canvas is now back on displayFri, 10 Apr 2026 19:00:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-vincent-van-gogh-painting-was-found-wrapped-in-an-ikea-bag-and-a-blood-stained-pillow-now-the-artwork-has-been-restored-to-its-former-glory-180988530/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-nearly-80-years-of-doubt-scientists-say-a-spear-lodged-between-elephant-ribs-offers-evidence-that-neanderthals-hunted-big-game-180988522/In 1948, amateur archaeologists unearthed the remains, which should have shifted researchers' views of Neanderthals. But poor documentation sowed skepticism in the scientific communityFri, 10 Apr 2026 16:05:15 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/after-nearly-80-years-of-doubt-scientists-say-a-spear-lodged-between-elephant-ribs-offers-evidence-that-neanderthals-hunted-big-game-180988522/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-surrealism-inspired-fashions-of-elsa-schiaparelli-take-the-spotlight-in-london-180988503/A new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum lays out the history and legacy of the House of Schiaparelli, focusing on its founder’s unique creative processesFri, 10 Apr 2026 13:33:39 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-surrealism-inspired-fashions-of-elsa-schiaparelli-take-the-spotlight-in-london-180988503/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-their-antarctic-habitat-melts-away-emperor-penguins-are-now-considered-an-endangered-species-180988520/The International Union for Conservation of Nature predicts that the birds' population could be cut in half by the 2080s. The organization also changed the statuses of Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant sealsThu, 09 Apr 2026 20:35:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-their-antarctic-habitat-melts-away-emperor-penguins-are-now-considered-an-endangered-species-180988520/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopus-sex-just-got-weirder-in-addition-to-depositing-sperm-males-specialized-mating-arm-can-taste-female-hormones-180988500/The hectocotylus is both a reproductive organ and a sensory organ, a rare combination in animals, new research suggestsThu, 09 Apr 2026 18:38:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/octopus-sex-just-got-weirder-in-addition-to-depositing-sperm-males-specialized-mating-arm-can-taste-female-hormones-180988500/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-monumental-scroll-public-display-first-time-aints-picture-artistic-fusion-colonial-india-180988512/A new exhibition shares the artistic legacy of centuries of British East India Company influence in East and Southeast AsiaThu, 09 Apr 2026 17:45:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mysterious-monumental-scroll-public-display-first-time-aints-picture-artistic-fusion-colonial-india-180988512/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/A new analysis revealed traces of various plants, animals and humans on the controversial linen cloth. But outside experts are skeptical of the findings, which could complicate efforts to identify the shroud's original wearerThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:17:46 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-these-rock-climbing-fish-scale-a-50-foot-waterfall-in-the-congo-basin-the-first-known-evidence-of-this-behavior-in-africa-180988502/The tiny fish, called shellears, use microscopic hook-like growths on their fins to ascend—and they take a lot of breaks. The full climb probably takes about ten hours, according to a new studyThu, 09 Apr 2026 15:02:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-these-rock-climbing-fish-scale-a-50-foot-waterfall-in-the-congo-basin-the-first-known-evidence-of-this-behavior-in-africa-180988502/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-small-rodent-hero-left-a-giant-legacy-now-cambodia-honors-this-famous-bomb-sniffing-rat-with-a-seven-foot-statue-180988515/Magawa the African giant pouched rat cleared more 1.5 million square feet of land mines during his five-year career, making him one of the most successful bomb-sniffing rodents in the country’s historyThu, 09 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-small-rodent-hero-left-a-giant-legacy-now-cambodia-honors-this-famous-bomb-sniffing-rat-with-a-seven-foot-statue-180988515/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/Ancient Roman forces may have used the polybolos to quell a rebellion at Pompeii in 89 B.C.E. The unique weapon was likely developed by a Greek engineer centuries earlierThu, 09 Apr 2026 11:13:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/long-before-machine-guns-ancient-roman-troops-were-using-this-rapid-fire-weapon-180988504/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/Unclaimed Baggage sells lost belongings at a 50,000-square-foot store in Alabama. An annual report explores how objects packed in 2025 reflect cultural trendsThu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fossil-held-the-world-record-for-the-earliest-known-octopus-turns-out-its-not-an-octopus-after-all-180988511/New research suggests the 300-million-year-old specimen is actually a relative of the nautilusWed, 08 Apr 2026 21:07:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fossil-held-the-world-record-for-the-earliest-known-octopus-turns-out-its-not-an-octopus-after-all-180988511/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-didnt-expect-to-find-anything-at-this-site-in-england-then-they-stumbled-upon-a-roman-villa-and-a-bronze-artifact-dubbed-norfolk-nessie-180988505/Ahead of wind farm development on Britain's eastern coast, excavations along an underground cable route uncovered the ruins of an ancient farming estate that boasted its own bathhouseWed, 08 Apr 2026 17:47:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-didnt-expect-to-find-anything-at-this-site-in-england-then-they-stumbled-upon-a-roman-villa-and-a-bronze-artifact-dubbed-norfolk-nessie-180988505/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/freshwater-fish-migrations-are-disappearing-across-the-planet-finds-un-report-180988509/The assessment identified over 300 species of fish that urgently need international conservation effortWed, 08 Apr 2026 17:38:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/freshwater-fish-migrations-are-disappearing-across-the-planet-finds-un-report-180988509/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-frida-kahlo-leave-mexico-plans-to-relocate-a-trove-of-paintings-by-the-famous-artist-spark-heated-debate-180988506/Nearly 400 cultural heritage professionals signed an open letter protesting plans to move a collection featuring artworks by the renowned Mexican painter out of her home countryWed, 08 Apr 2026 16:11:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/can-frida-kahlo-leave-mexico-plans-to-relocate-a-trove-of-paintings-by-the-famous-artist-spark-heated-debate-180988506/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/Divers recovered weapons, tools, pieces of horse-drawn chariots, ceramic plates, platters and goblets. One archaeologist surmises that the loss would have been "immense" at the timeWed, 08 Apr 2026 14:31:16 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/2000-year-old-cargo-from-roman-ship-discovered-at-the-bottom-of-swiss-lake-180988492/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-is-a-shark-a-new-genetic-analysis-throws-a-wrench-into-our-understanding-of-the-oceans-predators-180988501/Some shark species might belong to their own distinct lineage, which is separate from all other sharks, rays and skates, according to a new studyWed, 08 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-is-a-shark-a-new-genetic-analysis-throws-a-wrench-into-our-understanding-of-the-oceans-predators-180988501/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-fossils-discovered-in-china-hint-that-complex-life-evolved-millions-of-years-earlier-than-scientists-thought-180988490/The assemblage suggests that the ancestors of some of today's animal groups may have arisen before the famed Cambrian explosionTue, 07 Apr 2026 19:32:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-fossils-discovered-in-china-hint-that-complex-life-evolved-millions-of-years-earlier-than-scientists-thought-180988490/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-awe-inspiring-new-photos-of-the-moon-and-earth-sent-back-from-the-artemis-2-mission-180988498/The astronauts are on their way home after looping around the moon on a historic flyby. Here are the dazzling images they capturedTue, 07 Apr 2026 19:07:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-awe-inspiring-new-photos-of-the-moon-and-earth-sent-back-from-the-artemis-2-mission-180988498/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-allegedly-stole-gold-helmet-lost-european-culture-returned-it-180988487/More than a year after the Romanian treasure disappeared from a museum in the Netherlands, it’s back in the hands of authorities. The men accused of stealing it will face trial later this monthTue, 07 Apr 2026 16:28:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/thieves-allegedly-stole-gold-helmet-lost-european-culture-returned-it-180988487/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-engineered-tobacco-plants-to-produce-five-mind-altering-psychedelic-compounds-180988488/The substances have been used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years, but they've recently become popular as possible therapeutics for mental health conditionsTue, 07 Apr 2026 15:58:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-engineered-tobacco-plants-to-produce-five-mind-altering-psychedelic-compounds-180988488/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/becoming-an-expert-birder-can-reshape-your-brain-and-might-help-protect-it-from-aging-new-research-suggests-180988489/Compared with novices, seasoned birders had denser, more structurally complex brain regions involved with tasks like object identification, visual processing, attention and working memoryTue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/becoming-an-expert-birder-can-reshape-your-brain-and-might-help-protect-it-from-aging-new-research-suggests-180988489/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/The destruction of the "Dannebroge" was documented in art and history books. Now, thanks to a museum's excavations, archaeologists can study the wreck up close for the first timeTue, 07 Apr 2026 11:16:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-danish-warship-exploded-in-battle-225-years-ago-now-archaeologists-are-racing-to-recover-its-artifacts-180988493/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lightning-strikes-on-jupiter-are-100-times-as-powerful-as-those-on-earth-a-new-study-suggests-180988455/Scientists finally have a clearer picture of the gas giant's intense stormsMon, 06 Apr 2026 19:04:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lightning-strikes-on-jupiter-are-100-times-as-powerful-as-those-on-earth-a-new-study-suggests-180988455/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/George Tupper, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, was nearly a year into his military service when a yellow fever outbreak struck Fort JeffersonMon, 06 Apr 2026 18:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-rotund-and-charmingly-goofy-birds-are-delighting-new-yorkers-and-dancing-on-social-media-what-is-the-american-woodcock-180988486/The endearing animals make a pit stop in Bryant Park during their migrations to northern breeding grounds, gathering fans and starring in viral videosMon, 06 Apr 2026 17:16:18 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-rotund-and-charmingly-goofy-birds-are-delighting-new-yorkers-and-dancing-on-social-media-what-is-the-american-woodcock-180988486/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/doctors-used-digital-twins-of-patients-hearts-to-fix-their-irregular-heartbeats-180988476/A small clinical trial suggests the technology can help physicians perform life-saving surgeries more efficiently and safelyMon, 06 Apr 2026 15:47:43 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/doctors-used-digital-twins-of-patients-hearts-to-fix-their-irregular-heartbeats-180988476/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/The tech world changed forever when two college dropouts founded Apple on April 1, 1976. Fifty years later, a museum dedicated to the company's history and evolution has opened in the city of UtrechtMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-astronauts-overcome-toilet-trouble-and-officially-head-toward-the-moon-180988483/Houston, we have a potty problemFri, 03 Apr 2026 20:35:27 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/artemis-astronauts-overcome-toilet-trouble-and-officially-head-toward-the-moon-180988483/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumble-bees-have-a-surprising-sense-of-rhythm-despite-their-tiny-brains-180988481/By speeding up the tempo of alternating flashing lights, the scientists were able to demonstrate yet another example of the small insect's remarkable mindFri, 03 Apr 2026 19:10:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bumble-bees-have-a-surprising-sense-of-rhythm-despite-their-tiny-brains-180988481/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-longest-outdoor-escalator-just-opened-in-china-riding-the-3000-foot-long-system-to-the-top-takes-more-than-20-minutes-180988468/The new "Goddess" escalator in Wushan County features 21 individual escalators and 8 elevators. The modular design carries riders up 800 feet in elevationFri, 03 Apr 2026 18:28:33 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-worlds-longest-outdoor-escalator-just-opened-in-china-riding-the-3000-foot-long-system-to-the-top-takes-more-than-20-minutes-180988468/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rock-art-suggests-the-tasmanian-tiger-may-have-survived-on-mainland-australia-longer-than-previously-thought-180988472/Archaeologists think some of the paintings may be less than 1,000 years old, even though the animals were thought to have disappeared from the continent roughly 3,000 years agoFri, 03 Apr 2026 17:58:54 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rock-art-suggests-the-tasmanian-tiger-may-have-survived-on-mainland-australia-longer-than-previously-thought-180988472/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-domino-a-tiny-bumpy-fish-making-a-splash-in-chicago-180988482/The warty frogfish, also known as a clown anglerfish, is believed to be the first of its kind born and raised in captivityFri, 03 Apr 2026 17:48:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meet-domino-a-tiny-bumpy-fish-making-a-splash-in-chicago-180988482/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/John Jacob Astor IV was returning from his honeymoon with his wife, who survived the 1912 disaster. His pocket watch and gold pencil case are going up for sale this monthFri, 03 Apr 2026 16:57:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/A new study suggests that humans were playing with probability during the Ice Age—and that dice were invented 6,000 years earlier than previously thoughtFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:30:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/are-these-the-earliest-known-dice-in-the-world-native-americans-may-have-used-them-to-play-games-of-chance-more-than-12000-years-ago-180988479/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/The individual who fell ill, NASA's Mike Fincke, says the medical team is almost certain that the issue was related to being in spaceFri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-astronauts-sudden-inability-to-speak-prompted-the-isss-first-medical-evacuation-doctors-still-dont-know-what-caused-the-issue-180988471/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-are-carefully-restoring-a-15th-century-masterpiece-by-giovanni-bellini-and-you-can-watch-them-work-180988466/The two-year project is expected to cost around $580,000, and visitors to the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice will be able to observe the process in personThu, 02 Apr 2026 21:05:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/experts-are-carefully-restoring-a-15th-century-masterpiece-by-giovanni-bellini-and-you-can-watch-them-work-180988466/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-500-million-year-old-fossil-of-a-claw-bearing-predator-uncovers-the-origins-of-spiders-scorpions-and-other-arthropods-180988477/A new analysis of a specimen found more than 40 years ago reveals the oldest known chelicerate, defined by its pair of pincer-like appendagesThu, 02 Apr 2026 20:22:13 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-500-million-year-old-fossil-of-a-claw-bearing-predator-uncovers-the-origins-of-spiders-scorpions-and-other-arthropods-180988477/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-an-astronomer-may-have-witnessed-a-comet-stop-its-spin-then-reverse-its-rotation-180988469/Archival images snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope revealed the unusual eventThu, 02 Apr 2026 16:56:19 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-an-astronomer-may-have-witnessed-a-comet-stop-its-spin-then-reverse-its-rotation-180988469/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-painting-was-thought-to-be-a-workshop-copy-of-a-rembrandt-now-one-scholar-argues-its-the-real-deal-180988473/"Old Man With a Gold Chain" is on display beside a smaller copy for the first time in centuries. According to scholar Gary Schwartz, the Dutch master painted both himselfThu, 02 Apr 2026 14:16:07 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-painting-was-thought-to-be-a-workshop-copy-of-a-rembrandt-now-one-scholar-argues-its-the-real-deal-180988473/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-snakes-stand-upright-nearly-stick-straight-new-research-points-to-how-they-pull-off-the-gravity-defying-feat-180988470/These clever creatures seem to concentrate their muscle activity near their bases, which helps them cross gaps between tree branches in the wildThu, 02 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-snakes-stand-upright-nearly-stick-straight-new-research-points-to-how-they-pull-off-the-gravity-defying-feat-180988470/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-artemis-2-mission-launches-sending-humans-toward-the-moon-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-50-years-180988026/Four astronauts have begun a ten-day mission in which they’ll loop around the moon, laying the groundwork to put humans on the lunar surface as early as 2028Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:35:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-artemis-2-mission-launches-sending-humans-toward-the-moon-for-the-first-time-in-more-than-50-years-180988026/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/The Merchant's House Museum in New York City announced its investigation into the tunnel's history in February. A neighboring development could threaten the building's walls and foundationsWed, 01 Apr 2026 19:08:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/Simulated near-weightless conditions reduced human sperm’s navigational abilitiesWed, 01 Apr 2026 18:59:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/humans-might-struggle-to-make-babies-in-space-sperm-gets-disoriented-in-microgravity-a-new-study-suggests-180988459/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-ancient-pompeians-burn-as-offerings-to-their-gods-new-research-reveals-the-surprising-answer-180988467/An analysis of incense burners discovered in the doomed city identified traces of resin imported from sub-Saharan Africa or Asia, testifying to Pompeii's extensive trade networksWed, 01 Apr 2026 18:29:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/what-did-ancient-pompeians-burn-as-offerings-to-their-gods-new-research-reveals-the-surprising-answer-180988467/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/The 1,350-square-foot model is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York, where visitors can use binoculars to see tiny replicas of all five boroughsWed, 01 Apr 2026 17:45:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-python-blood-lead-to-the-next-generation-of-weight-loss-drugs-180988438/Researchers discovered an appetite-suppressing molecule in python blood. If one day turned into a medication, it might lack some of the common negative side effects of GLP-1sWed, 01 Apr 2026 15:25:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/could-python-blood-lead-to-the-next-generation-of-weight-loss-drugs-180988438/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-snorkeling-scientists-stumbled-upon-an-surprising-trove-of-fossils-in-a-texas-water-cave-180988464/They found remains of animals that have never been uncovered in Central Texas. The fossils hint that the region was warm, moist and forested 100,000 years agoWed, 01 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-snorkeling-scientists-stumbled-upon-an-surprising-trove-of-fossils-in-a-texas-water-cave-180988464/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/The artwork was destroyed during World War I. But an archaeologist's sketch may reveal a female figure wielding a whip and facing off against a leopard, a new study suggestsWed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-1800-year-old-mosaic-the-first-known-image-of-a-woman-fighting-wild-beasts-in-an-ancient-roman-arena-180988456/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-c-3po-head-from-the-empire-strikes-back-just-sold-for-more-than-1-million-at-auction-180988460/The 'Star Wars' prop was likely the only C-3PO head from the 1980 film to appear on the collector market. It features working light-up eyes, including one with the original wiringTue, 31 Mar 2026 20:23:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-c-3po-head-from-the-empire-strikes-back-just-sold-for-more-than-1-million-at-auction-180988460/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/Infection levels are still low in the country, but the highly mutated variant might be able to evade your body’s immune defenses acquired via vaccine or past infectionTue, 31 Mar 2026 19:35:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-cicada-variant-of-covid-19-is-spreading-in-the-united-states-heres-what-you-need-to-know-180988462/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-thieves-steal-paintings-by-renoir-cezanne-and-matisse-worth-more-than-10-million-fleeing-the-scene-in-just-three-minutes-180988465/The Magnani-Rocca Foundation in Italy was the target of a shocking art heist—only five months after a high-profile theft at the Louvre in ParisTue, 31 Mar 2026 18:48:09 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/art-thieves-steal-paintings-by-renoir-cezanne-and-matisse-worth-more-than-10-million-fleeing-the-scene-in-just-three-minutes-180988465/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-the-earths-crust-start-to-shift-scientists-uncover-evidence-of-plate-tectonics-happening-3-48-billion-years-ago-180988399/A new study provides the oldest direct evidence of tectonic plate movement ever recordedTue, 31 Mar 2026 16:48:42 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-the-earths-crust-start-to-shift-scientists-uncover-evidence-of-plate-tectonics-happening-3-48-billion-years-ago-180988399/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-unprecedented-footage-of-sperm-whales-helping-a-newborn-calf-take-its-first-breaths-180988450/Unrelated animals worked with the mother and her relatives, marking the first known evidence of whales from multiple families assisting in a birthTue, 31 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-unprecedented-footage-of-sperm-whales-helping-a-newborn-calf-take-its-first-breaths-180988450/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charles-dickens-searched-the-streets-of-london-and-found-inspiration-for-his-evocative-fiction-180988451/A three-part BBC series will examine how real events shaped the 19th-century British author's writing. The show is part of the National Year of Reading in the U.K.Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/charles-dickens-searched-the-streets-of-london-and-found-inspiration-for-his-evocative-fiction-180988451/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/Scientists created samples of the black resin using three methods and tested their effectiveness against two common bacteriaMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:55:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-neanderthals-use-birch-bark-tar-as-an-antibiotic-to-treat-wounds-and-infections-180988393/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/Photographer Albert Scopin documented the countercultural hub at its peak in the mid-20th century. Now, the recovered photos are the subject of a new book and exhibition celebrating the New York City landmarkMon, 30 Mar 2026 20:10:05 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-long-lost-photos-of-the-chelsea-hotel-reveal-intimate-portraits-of-its-bohemian-residentsfrom-patti-smith-to-bob-dylan-180988458/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovere-a-rare-primitive-star-that-provides-a-chemical-snapshot-of-the-early-universe-180988454/PicII-503 is likely a second-generation star, born from the remnants of the very first stars, according to a new studyMon, 30 Mar 2026 19:13:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-discovere-a-rare-primitive-star-that-provides-a-chemical-snapshot-of-the-early-universe-180988454/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-million-year-old-fossils-could-rewrite-the-evolutionary-tree-of-apes-including-humans-180988446/Jawbone fragments and teeth from a previously unknown species hint that the evolution of modern apes occurred in what's now North Africa or the Arabian Peninsula, rather than in East AfricaMon, 30 Mar 2026 16:08:23 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/these-17-million-year-old-fossils-could-rewrite-the-evolutionary-tree-of-apes-including-humans-180988446/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sharks-in-the-bahamas-test-positive-for-drugs-including-cocaine-and-painkillers-in-a-new-study-180988445/Around one-third of the studied sharks had detectable levels of the analyzed drugs in their bloodMon, 30 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sharks-in-the-bahamas-test-positive-for-drugs-including-cocaine-and-painkillers-in-a-new-study-180988445/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/willem-de-kooning-didnt-get-his-big-break-until-his-40s-see-the-stunning-abstract-paintings-that-first-captivated-audiences-180988397/Artworks that showcase the painter's early foray into Abstract Expressionism are now on view at the Princeton University Art MuseumMon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/willem-de-kooning-didnt-get-his-big-break-until-his-40s-see-the-stunning-abstract-paintings-that-first-captivated-audiences-180988397/